


Angels Like Rainbows Too

by PetiteAbeille



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Age Play, Castiel Feels, Castiel Learns to be Human, Castiel and Dean Winchester are Cute, Castiel in the Bunker, Castiel-centric, Comfort, Consensual, Dean is In Over His Head, Diapers, Hugs, Infantilism, Non-Sexual Age Play, Protective Dean Winchester, but he does his best, castiel needs Dean, daddy!dean, little!cas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-05-04 02:30:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 30,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5317139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetiteAbeille/pseuds/PetiteAbeille
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel was human. Again. This time though, it wasn't from a split with Heaven; his Grace was just gone. Dean and Sam were happy to provide Cas shelter within the bunker, but it quickly became apparent that they had a bigger problem than where Cas would live. Castiel had no idea of how to be a human. </p><p>"Don't look at me," Sam said when Cas came to them, asking how to use the shower. "You two have the special bond." </p><p>And with that, Dean found himself alone with a wide-eyed man who knew how to care for himself no better than a three year-old child. A man who was watching him expectantly. Wonderful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CaptainCrush119](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=CaptainCrush119).



> CaptainCrush has been requesting this story for awhile. Credit for the story concept and much of the plot line goes to CC. I hope I do your idea justice. Consider it an early Christmas present.

Dean's cellphone was ringing. Cellphone number one. He grabbed his phone and looked at the display. Cas. 

"Hello," Dean said into the receiver. "Cas?"

"Dean?" said a muffled voice.

"Yah Cas. I can hardly hear you. Where are you?"

"I'm here."

"Where's here?" Dean suppressed his exasperation. It wasn't easy, but he was used to Cas' oddities by now.

"Outside the bunker."

"Ok," Dean said. "Then pop on in."

"I can't."

Dean raised his eyebrows at Sam, who was now listening to the conversation. Sam shrugged.

"Why not?"

"Please just let me in," Cas sighed.

The line was fuzzy from a poor connection, but finally Dean could hear well enough to make out the tone of his angel's voice. Cas was exhausted. Dean resisted the desire to ask further questions and walked to the bunker's entrance. Snapping his phone shut as he opened the door, Dean gasped at the sight that awaited him. A similar sound from behind him told Dean that Sam had followed. 

"Cas-" Sam said.

The angel was covered in mud from head to toe. His trench coat was torn, and cuts crossed what skin Dean could see. With the dirt on his face and the exhaustion in his eyes, Castiel had looked better in purgatory. The angel took a step forward, and Dean caught him as his knees buckled.

"Cas?" Dean said. He gave the body in his arms a shake. "Cas?" he said louder.

Dean turned to his brother. "He's out cold, Sam."

Sam stepped over to take a closer look. He listened to the steady breathing. "I think- I think he's asleep."

"Come again," Dean said.

Sam shrugged. "That's what it seems like. He looks... peaceful."

"Well that's wonderful for him." Dean grimaced as he shifted Castiel's weight. Taking Dean's hint, Sam grabbed Castiel by the legs, and the Winchesters hauled the sleeping angel into the bunker. 

"Your room," Dean grunted. "It's closer."

Sam looked at Cas and his soiled clothes. The younger hunter wrinkled his nose. "No way. He's disgusting."

"Well he's not going in mine."

Sam and Dean looked at each other. "Storage," they said. They hauled Cas' sleeping form to the nearest spare room and laid him down on a pile of cloth scraps and old sheets. 

"Not exactly the Ritz," Dean said, as he dusted his hands off on his jeans.

Sam shrugged. "Let's wait until he wakes up. If he's staying we can turn this into a real room."

Dean nodded, and the two brothers crept out into the hallway. From behind them, Castiel coughed, but he didn't wake up. Dean left the door to the storage room open so they would hear when Cas awoke. As Dean followed Sam back to the library, his brother turned to face him. "Angels don't sleep, Dean," Sam said.

"No, Sam. No they don't."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam looked up from his book at the sound of footsteps.

"Hello," a gravely voice said from the doorway. A deep, exhausted voice.

"Hey Cas," Sam said. He winced when he saw the angel. While Cas slept, the scratches and bruises had begun to heal. Now the man's pale face was a mass of puffy welts and purple bruises.

"I look that bad?" Cas asked.

"What happened?" Sam said, ignoring the question.

Cas was saved from answering when Dean walked in.

"Jesus Cas," Dean said after taking one look at the angel. "Who went to town on you?"

Cas sighed heavily. It was a long story. One he didn't feel up for telling. 

Dean's gaze softened as he took in Castiel's drooping eyes. "Never mind. You can tell us after you have a shower. Once you get cleaned up you can sleep in my bed for the night. I'll take the couch."

"Dean, I-"

"You look like hell Cas, and Sam's unbearable if he doesn't get his beauty rest. The couch is fine for me."

Sam sputtered, but Cas nodded gratefully. The three men stood in silence until Sam spoke. "So, are you going to get cleaned up or what?"

"Of course," Cas said. He made no move to leave though. "How does one use the shower?"

Dean and Sam exchanged a look. 

"Nope," Sam said, shaking his head. "You two share the special bond. He's your angel. You show him."

Before Dean could protest, Sam had buried himself in his book again. Dean looked at Cas. It was impossible not to feel for the confused and tired man.

Dean sighed. "Come on then," he said, and he led the way to the bathroom. Footsteps behind him told Dean that Cas was following. When they reached the washroom, Dean looked pointedly at Cas. "Water on," he said, twisting the shower tap. "Water off," he turned it back the other way. "Towels are in the cupboard."

"Thank you Dean," Cas said, his rich voice heavy with gratitude. 

Dean nodded and left, shutting the door behind him. As he started back down the hall he heard a yelp. _Cas. Shit._ Dean ran as fast as he could and burst into the bathroom. What could have gotten past the bunker's warding? No demons awaited him though. No leviathans. No angry angels. Only a very wet, very unhappy looking Castiel.

"What the hell, Cas?" Dean asked, taking in the man's dripping clothes and soaked hair.

"Cold," Cas shivered. "I always thought showers were intended to be pleasant."

Dean sighed. "Gotta let the water warm up, Cas." 

He opened the shower door and adjusted the tap to a reasonable temperature. After a moment, Dean took Cas' hand. "Here," he said, sticking the man's hand under the water. "If it's not warm enough or too hot you can adjust it with the tap."

"Thank you Dean." 

Dean nodded and started to leave. "Oh, and Cas" he said, pausing at the bathroom door. "You're supposed to take your clothes off before you get in the shower." With that Dean walked out, leaving a puzzled looking angel behind him. For a highly evolved being and a soldier of Heaven, Castiel was incredibly inept as a human. What had Dean gotten himself into.


	3. Chapter 3

"So you expect us to believe that you have no idea how this happened," Dean said, gesturing to Castiel's swollen face. 

"It's the truth."

The two Winchesters and Cas were seated in the library of the bunker. Cas was cleaner, but the lack of dirt only made his injuries more obvious. With Jimmy's trench coat and suit in tatters, Cas had borrowed some of Dean's clothes. Between the jeans he sported and Castiel's still-damp hair sticking up in little tufts, it was almost easier to see Cas as human than angelic.

"And you're cut off from Heaven again?" Sam asked.

Cas frowned. "It's more than that. Even when fallen, I still had some abilities. It's... empty now. Where my Grace was."

Sam and Dean shared a look. Cas had never taken losing his powers well, but this was bigger, more complete. 

"It's just empty," Cas continued. "I can't... I can't see your souls. I can't hear Heaven." 

"Hey," Dean said, needing to make his friend feel better. "Being human isn't all bad. If nothing else, it's a lot easier to get drunk." Cas didn't laugh, and Dean let the smile fall from his face. "We'll figure this out, Cas. You've lost your angel mojo before and it always works out. Until then you can stay here with Sammy and I."

Cas looked from Dean to Sam. "That would be alright?"

"Of course," Sam said. He put a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "We'll get you set up with a room tomorrow. Then you can stay as long as you need."

"I'll even teach you to be human," Dean said with a wink.

Sam rolled his eyes. "Do exactly the opposite of what Dean does, and you'll be fine."

Dean cuffed his brother on the head. "Bitch."

"Jerk."

Dean's response was cut off by a loud grumbling. Both men turned to look at their angel. Cas' hands were pressed to his stomach, and he wore a puzzled frown. 

"When did you last eat?" Sam asked.

Castiel thought for a moment. "Last year."

"Jesus, Cas. How long have you been human now?" Dean asked. "You know what, never mind," he said when the angel obviously didn't have an answer. "That feeling in your stomach? That's hunger. Lesson one in being human: you gotta eat."

Castiel nodded seriously, looking as though he was committing Dean's every word to memory. Dean sighed. "Let's go feed you." He stood and started for the kitchen. 

"Burgers?" Cas asked hopefully.

Dean paused and raised an eyebrow. "If you want to cook them."

"Another time," Cas said. 

Dean began walking to the kitchen again, with Cas in his wake. Glancing to his side revealed a crestfallen angel, and Dean realized that he would indeed be making burgers as soon as he had a chance to get supplies. If something so simple would make this situation easier on Cas, it was at the top of his to-do list. On a more selfish note, Dean would do anything to ensure that Castiel never looked that morose again. It tugged at his heart strings worse than Sam's puppy eyes. 

Dean sighed. _You're turning into a real pushover, Winchester._

Despite his inner voice though, Dean pictured placing the ultimate burger in front of Cas and watching the man's face light up with a smile. Dean mentally added "food run" to his to-do list for the next day.


	4. Chapter 4

Sam walked into the kitchen later to see Dean bent over a hot stove. It was a sight he would never get used to.

Dean looked up when he heard his brother enter. "Finally surfacing Sammy? Going to join the land of the normals?"

"And that would be you two?" Sam asked, glancing from the angel with a gurgling stomach to his brother in an apron. Dean just smirked and shrugged.

"You want any?"

Sam peered into the pot Dean was stirring. Tomato sauce. And it smelled delicious. 

"S'ok. I already ate. Give it to Cas," Sam said. A timely rumble from Castiel's stomach emphasized his point.

Dean served spaghetti onto a plate for Cas and set it down on the table in front of him. 

"Cas," Dean said loudly when the angel said nothing. 

Castiel jerked upright, pulled back to reality. "Sorry," he muttered. "Just trying to hear Heaven. I thought maybe if I meditated..."

"No go?" Dean asked.

"No." Disappointment filled Cas' voice. 

"Well, we have some food here for you," Dean said with forced cheer. "Lesson number two is that everything seems worse when you're hungry. Now eat up."

Castiel eyed the cutlery in front of him uncertainly, and Dean realized all he had every seen the angel eat was finger foods. Hesitantly, Cas picked up the fork and scooped up some pasta. It slid off his fork. After two more tries, Dean was caught between laughter and feeling sorry for his friend. Sam, at the other end of the table, looked to be in the same position, and a snort escaped him a couple of times before Dean shot him a look. 

Finally, Cas managed to get the fork to his mouth, still with spaghetti wrapped around its prongs. The angel's eyes grew wide at his first taste of the savoury sauce. "This, this is amazing," he said, already fishing for more of the noodles.

While Castiel continued his quest for spaghetti, Dean and Sam talked. For once, it wasn't about hunting. "Just because Swayze is in something, doesn't mean it's good. What about _Waking up in Reno_ ," Sam was arguing. Dean stood by his original statement, and the friendly bickering continued. 

The conversation petered out after awhile, and the three men sat in companionable silence. Looking at Castiel finishing the last of his dinner and Sam leaning back with his feet up on a chair, Dean was reminded of something he hadn't had since early childhood: a family dinner. Granted, their little group was messed up, but at some point they had become a family. The bunker had seemed like his and Sam's almost immediately, but with Cas present, it felt like home. 

"Dean?" Sam shook his brother. 

"Hm?" Dean looked about him. In the cozy kitchen of the well-warded bunker he was experiencing a rare mix of security and relaxation.

"Cas asked you if there was anymore."

"Oh. Yah, there is. You should wait a bit first though Cas. That was a big plate I gave you, and I'm guessing Jimmy's stomach isn't used to food right now."

The angel nodded his agreement, although he looked disappointed. Then, Cas looked at Sam intently. "Who is Swayze?" he asked.

Sam groaned. "You had to ask."

Cas looked at Dean, who was sitting ramrod straight and grinning at Sam. "Dirty Dancing. Tomorrow night. We have a duty to educate Cas, Sam. We can't have him growing up like you."

"But I am grown up," Cas said, puzzled.

Dean shrugged. "As an angel, but if you're going to be human for awhile we have work to do. There's still time for you to develop taste."

Cas yawned hugely. His jaw cracked, and something still felt wrong in his throat...incomplete. It was not at all a pleasant sensation. And humans did that all the time? Cas tried to yawn again, and this time he felt better afterwards.

"I'll show you my bedroom," Dean said. He stood up from the table and waited for Cas to follow suit. 

"Goodnight Cas," Sam called after them.

The angel turned. "Goodnight Sam."

Castiel followed Dean as the hunter walked down the hallway towards his bedroom. When they got there, Cas watched as Dean pointed out where he kept extra clothes and explained that, no Cas shouldn't sleep in jeans. Yes, Dean did it sometimes, but it was much more comfortable to change. 

Once he had made sure Cas had everything necessary for bed, Dean left to give the other man some privacy and let him get to sleep. Dean was almost back to the kitchen when he remembered that he had forgotten to get a change of clothes for himself. He started back down the hallway. When Dean reached his room, he was about to push the door open, when he heard a soft groan. Dean knocked instead. When there was no answer, he threw open the door, knife already in hand. Nothing out of the ordinary greeted Dean's eyes, just a figure lying on his bed in the fetal position.

"Cas?" Dean said to the man's back. "You okay?"

"Yes. Well, I think so. My vessel's-my- stomach is aching."

Dean's brow creased. "Did you eat too much?"

Cas shook his head. It was a long shot anyway, Dean figured. Cas had eaten slowly due to his lack of ability with a fork, and Dean didn't end up giving him seconds.

"I hope you're not getting sick." That was all Dean needed. Somehow he didn't think Cas would do well with a cold. 

Dean walked over and sat on the bed so he could feel Cas' forehead. It wasn't hot. Dean looked up, trying to think of another explanation. Down the hallway from his bedroom, the bathroom caught his eye. As the problem dawned on him, Dean sighed inwardly. God this was going to be awkward. Of course, it would be more awkward if Dean said nothing and Cas peed his pants. 

"Hey, Cas," Dean managed. "Have you been to the bathroom since you became human?"

"I got a shower just a few hours ago."

This time Dean did sigh out loud. Cas just had to make this even more difficult. "Yah, but did you, you know." Unfortunately, Cas didn't know. "Have you pissed?" Dean asked finally. 

Cas looked as though he had been told all the secrets of creation. "Yes," he said. "That could be the problem after all." He smiled brightly. "Thank you, Dean."

"Yah, don't mention it. I mean really. Don't. Especially not to Sam."

Dean stood up from the bed. "Well, I'll leave you to that." 

With that, Dean turned and left before Cas could ask any other questions. He walked briskly -not ran- down the hall and made it to the library. Sam looked up from the book he was buried in again. At the look on Dean's face he cocked an eyebrow.

"Don't even ask," Dean said. 

Sam didn't.


	5. Chapter 5

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."

Sam stood over Dean, grinning at his brother.

"Frig off," Dean muttered. He rolled over and buried his eyes in a pillow.

"Bad sleep?" Sam called over his shoulder as he walked to the kitchen.

"If you're going to keep talking, at least make coffee. Yes, terrible sleep. I've gotten used to having a real bed."

Sam started the coffee and put some bread in the toaster. He took a break to harass his brother though. "You mean you're getting soft."

The pillow muffled Dean's comment too well for Sam to hear. It was a good thing. 

"Hello," Castiel said brightly as he walked into the room.

"Oh for fucksake." Dean sat up, realizing that getting anymore sleep was a lost cause. He put his head in his hands and tried desperately to rub the exhaustion out of his eyes. 

"Are you alright Dean?" Cas asked.

"Ignore him Cas. Dean didn't sleep well."

"What a shame," Cas said. "I slept wonderfully. Dean's bed is very comfortable."

Sam just managed not to laugh. Dean looked ready to strangle the angel. "Why don't you come get some breakfast," Sam said. He needed to get Cas out of Dean's reach. 

The angel nodded happily and followed Sam into the kitchen. 

Breakfast was on the table before Dean joined Sam and Cas in the kitchen. The smell of coffee and food finally won over his desire to avoid the cheery bastards he was living with. Dean sat down at the table, and as caffeine gradually worked into his system, he joined the friendly conversation. 

When they had all finished eating, Dean sat back with a contented sigh. "So," he said. "Today we are setting up a room for Cas. I don't care what other plans you had," he looked at Sam, cutting off his brother's attempt to protest. "I am not sleeping on that couch again."

"I would very much appreciate that," Castiel said.

Dean grimaced. "And we're getting a toothbrush for Cas." 

Cas actually blushed and put a hand to his lips. It was oddly human.

The three men divided up tasks. Sam would begin cleaning out the storage room, while Dean and Cas went shopping for things they would need. Cas required his own clothes and toiletry supplies, as well as some bedding. They also needed groceries if Dean was going to make Cas burgers. 

They were about to set off, when Dean thought of something. He couldn't believe he was saying this to his friend, but worse things could happen if he didn't. 

"Cas?"

"Yes Dean?"

"Have you been to the bathroom yet this morning?"

"I showered yesterday and I don't have a toothbrush."

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you mean have I urinated?"

Dean blushed. "Yes Cas," he said sarcastically. "Have you peed?"

Cas shook his head and Dean sighed. "Go now then, before we leave."

Cas headed for the bathroom without another word. It was like taking care of a freaking toddler. 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Sam sneezed, and the stack of boxes he was carrying wobbled. There was so much dust in the storage room. He had been working on cleaning it out for almost three hours, the entire time since Dean and Cas left. Sam deposited his cargo in a room further down the hall and wiped his wrist across his forehead. It was hot work. While he thought Dean and Cas could use the time together that shopping would give them, Sam was regretting his decision to start the cleaning solo. There was something going on with his brother and the angel though. Sam couldn't put his finger on what it was, but just within the past day there had been a shift in their relationship.

As Sam started back towards the room that would be Cas', he heard raised voices coming down the hallway.

"I really don't see what's wrong with rainbows."

A voice, definitely Dean's, responded. "You're a grown man Cas. Rainbow sheets just aren't a thing."

"Hey," Sam said, as the two men rounded the corner. "Everything go okay?"

"Ask him," Dean said, gesturing at Cas with the bags in his hands. "I'm going to put these away and get started on lunch."

Sam watched his brother stalk towards the kitchen and shot a questioning look at Castiel. Cas shrugged. "Your brother has something against rainbows." Sam watched as the angel carried his own bags into the storage room. Maybe time alone for Dean and Cas hadn't been the best idea after all.

When Sam entered the room, he found Cas standing in the middle of the space, looking around him. "This is for me?" he said, not looking away from the blank walls.

"Yah." Sam hesitated. Cas could be so hard to read. "It'll look better when we get some stuff in it."

"Sam, it's amazing," Cas said. "I have never had my own space. Angels utilize humans' versions of Heaven. We don't create our own. I get to make my own now."

"It's just a room Cas. It's not limitless space and we can't turn it into a garden or anything."

Cas looked back at Sam. Sam couldn't be certain, but the angel's eyes may have been wet. Whatever the reason, Cas' eyes were shining as he thanked Sam for all his work. "It's wonderful."

Sam and Cas chatted for a bit longer until Dean called them for lunch. Before he sat down at the table, Sam pulled Dean aside. "Cas told me about your shopping trip. Why couldn't he get rainbow sheets?"

"Seriously Sam? He's a grown-ass man."

"Look, just go easy on Cas. You should have heard him talking about having the chance to make his own space. He's so excited. If he wants his room painted with floor to ceiling flowers, what's the harm?"

"Ok, well now I feel like a dick," Dean said. "Anyway, we compromised."

"Oh yah?"

"Apparently Cas likes fish too." Dean shook his head and headed to the kitchen for lunch.

 

...............................................

After lunch, the two brothers and their angel went to finish Cas' room. 

"Nice job Sam," Dean said, looking around the empty space. He sneezed. "Vacuuming's next. Then we'll get some stuff in here so it's liveable."

Sam showed Cas how to use the vacuum, while Dean hunted down another bed. When Dean came back, covered in dust, he pulled Sam away to help him carry the bed back to Cas' room. It was heavy, but they managed. By the time Sam and Dean got back, Cas was finished with vacuuming, and was standing by the wall, looking out his window.

Cas didn't turn around, and the brothers stood watching him for a moment. It was impossible not to smile at the joy such a simple thing as a bedroom was bringing Cas. Then again, Dean remembered how pleased he had been when he set up his own bedroom in the bunker. 

As he watched Cas, Dean noticed the angel frequently shifting his weight. Dean suppressed a groan. He walked over and took Cas firmly by the elbow. "Hallway, now," Dean said in response to Cas' questioning look. For some reason, Dean didn't want to do this in front of Sammy. He didn't want to embarrass Cas, but in all likelihood, Cas wouldn't be bothered by that. It was more that Dean felt these conversations should stay private between Cas and himself. 

Once Dean had Cas out in the hall, he eyed the angel as Cas shifted from foot to foot. It was the freaking potty dance. Dean still remembered it from when Sam was a kid. 

"Cas, have you been to- do you have to pee?"

Cas considered Dean's question. "I don't know," he said finally.

"Well, I think you do. Feel that sensation in your body? Remember it. It means you should use the bathroom."

Cas nodded. "Yes Dean."

Dean waited, but the angel did nothing. "So go," Dean said finally. "Now." He waved his hands, shooing Cas in the direction of the bathroom. Then, he rejoined Sam. 

"What was that about?"

"He had something in his teeth."

Sam didn't believe Dean for a moment, and Dean didn't expect him to. He motioned to the shopping bags on the floor. "Let's get his bed set up." Sam agreed, allowing Dean to change the subject, for then at least. 

 

.................................................

"Well, what do you think Cas?" 

Sam backed up to the door of Cas' new room and admired their handiwork. The bedroom now had a bed and a bureau, which held the few new clothing items Cas and Dean had bought. The walls had been left white, but the room was colourful anyway. Cas may not have gotten the rainbow sheets he wanted, but Dean had broken down and bought bedding covered with brightly-coloured fish. Poor Dean had listened to how amazing fish were and how fascinating their lives in the ocean were for over an hour. He finally walked Cas back to the department store and returned the plain white sheets and blanket to purchase fish in every colour of the rainbow. 

Buried deep in the bunker, Sam had found pictures of landscapes and flowers. The flowers were anatomical drawings, but Cas loved the level of detail they contained. The angel had watched as Dean hung the outdoor scenes on his walls. "I can imagine I'm outside," Cas breathed happily. There was enough colour in the room that Dean wanted to vomit, but the angel's excitement more than tempered Dean's disgust.

Cas moved to stand by Sam and gazed critically around the room. "It's perfect," he said finally, voice filled with awe. 

"It needs one more thing," Sam said. He fished five Sharpies out of his pants pocket. The bunker didn't have paint, but it was well stocked with stationary. 

Sam crouched down by the far wall, the one that could be easily seen from Cas' bed. He took the red Sharpie and drew a wide arc. Then, he drew a second line below the first, this time in yellow. Cas watched in confusion, but Dean rolled his eyes.

When Sam was finished, he stood and stepped back so that Castiel could see his handiwork.

"What do you think?" Sam asked.

Cas' smile stretched across his entire face. "Now it's perfect," he said as he took in his bed, the paintings, and finally Sam's rainbow.


	7. Chapter 7

"I think it's time for bed," Dean said, switching off the TV. 

Cas shot him a resentful look. Dean had never seen the angel pout; he would have sworn Cas was incapable. After Dean cut Cas off at two burgers though, Cas had been sullen for the rest of the evening. 

Dean sighed. "I know you're pissed Cas, but you have to get over the burger thing."

"I've eaten hundreds before without issue," Cas repeated his argument yet again.

"You're human now. You would make yourself sick before you hit ten. Once you learn to recognize when you're full you can eat as many burgers as you want. Until then, my bunker, my rules."

Sam raised his eyebrows but stayed silent.

"Anyway," Dean said. "You've been yawning for the past hour, so it's a good time for bed. I'm going to sleep soon too."

Cas looked at Dean stubbornly, but finally he nodded his head. He said "goodnight" to Sam and followed Dean out of the room. When Cas started into his bedroom though, Dean put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. 

"Hang on. You still need to brush your teeth. Lesson three: morning breath is disgusting, and it's way worse if you don't brush the night before."

Cas allowed Dean to lead him to the bathroom, where he watched as Dean unwrapped the new toothbrush and squeezed paste onto it. 

"There you go," Dean said, handing the brush to Cas. Castiel stared at it for a moment, before looking back at Dean.

Noticing the angel's confusion, Dean took his own toothbrush and demonstrated. "Get it?" he asked.

Cas nodded and began to brush. Dean took care of his own teeth, until he heard Cas give a small gasp.

"It hurts," the angel said. 

Dean took the toothbrush and inspected Cas' mouth. Small drops of blood were oozing from the gums around his bottom teeth.

"Well Jesus Cas, you're not scrubbing a pot."

Dean rinsed the toothbrush and turned back to his angel. "Open."

Cas did, and Dean cleaned his teeth gently, pausing occasionally for Cas to spit. 

Through the rest of the "bedtime routine" as Dean referred to it, Cas was silent. Dean was about to say "goodnight" and head to his own room, but one look at Cas' face told him something was up. He sat down on Cas' bed and gestured for the other man to follow suit.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked.

"I'm terrible at this."

"At what?"

"At being human," Cas said. He spoke quietly, as though confessing a secret.

Dean laughed. "Cas, you've been a human for less than 48 hours. I have thirty years of experience."

"I have been around for thousands of years though. I have lived with you and Sam."

Dean shook his head. "It's not the same though. Watching other humans doesn't let you feel things first hand. I promise you'll get it. Besides, we have parents to help us for the first decade or more of our lives."

Cas looked thoughtful. "Yes, I suppose so."

Dean clapped him on the shoulder. "So no more thinking you're bad at any of this. You'll catch on. Sam and I are here to show you the ropes."

"Like my parents."

Dean laughed awkwardly. "You're family Cas. We'll always be there when you need us." He stood then and bid the angel goodnight. Dean waited as Cas climbed into bed, then he switched off the ceiling light and went to his own room. 

 

.........................................

Cas' eyes shot open. He was breathing heavily, and sweat plastered his hair to his forehead. At least he was back in the bunker. The forests of purgatory were behind him. Cas had no idea how he had gotten there in the first place. Perhaps Crowley had found a way to transfer him there. Cas had thought he was safe in the bunker, but maybe he was wrong. Or maybe it had been a vision. Something that was to come. 

Cas sat up and drew his knees in to his chest. The room was pitch black; he couldn't see a thing. His senses were so limited as a human. For all he knew there were demons crouched in the corners of his room, waiting to catch him off guard.

Cas shivered in his blankets. It wasn't a cold night, but... Cas felt the bed around him. It was wet. Something was very wrong. His pyjamas were wet too, so were parts of his blankets. It wasn't until he breathed deeply and the smell of ammonia filled his nostrils, that Cas realized what had happened. He had peed. In the bed. Cas may not have known much about being human, but he knew he wasn't supposed to pee in his bed. He shivered for a different reason. Dean was going to be so mad.

Cas sat for awhile, trying to figure out what to do. He and Dean had only bought one other pair of pyjamas; Dean said they would do more shopping over the next few days once Sam sorted him out a new credit card. Even if Cas changed though, the bed would still be wet. He could sleep on the couch, but what about his vision? What if demons came. He had to warn Dean and Sam before that happened. Cas shifted. He was already cold, but now he was also getting itchy. He might as well get it over with.

"Dean," Cas called. "Dean?"

There was no response. Humans had terrible hearing, but what if there was another reason for Dean not answering? What if he was in trouble? Cas wished he had a gun. He still remembered how to use one, but he had thought he was safe in the bunker. Without his powers he was useless, helpless. It was an awful thought.

"Dean," Cas tried once more.

This time, he heard footsteps hurry down the hallway towards him. 

"Cas?" Dean called as he ran to the storage-turned-bedroom.

"Cas?" Dean switched on the lights, and both men blinked at each other in the sudden brightness.

"Dean, you're ok," Cas said. He looked as though he was about to jump up and check to be certain Dean was all in one piece, but the angel stayed put in bed.

"Of course Cas, why wouldn't I be?" Dean said. He had gotten out of bed for this? Cas' calls had sounded almost desperate though, so Dean kept his irritation in check until he knew for sure what was going on. 

"I was in purgatory. Or I saw myself in purgatory. You were there too. For awhile anyway. I lost you though. I thought maybe you didn't get out. Thank Father you did."

"Cas," Dean said slowly, unsure of whether to feel amused or annoyed. "You had a dream."

"No. It was real."

"Dreams can feel real."

"I've been in dreams," Cas argued. "They are hazy and blurred. And I can leave them anytime. I was stuck in purgatory."

"Maybe that's how you see it when you enter someone else's dream, but when it's your own it can feel incredibly real."

Cas didn't look convinced, so Dean went to sit beside him. "The bunker is warded ag-" Dean stopped talking abruptly. He sniffed the air, and Cas' cheeks grew bright red. 

"Cas, did you..." Dean felt he had to be wrong, but Cas' blushing face and shame-filled eyes said otherwise.

"I told you I was terrible at being human," Cas said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Awh Cas," Dean said. He sat down on the bed, careful to avoid the wet spot, and put his arm around the angel. "I already told you. You are not terrible; this is all just very new. That can happen if you have a weird dream. Don't let him know I told you, but Sammy used to do that all the time."

"Really?" Cas asked.

"Yup," Dean assured him. "And tell you what. I'll do the same thing for you that I used to do for him. You go rinse yourself off in the shower and change into clean pyjamas. I'll clean up your bed, and then we'll get you settled back in."

Cas looked at him gratefully. "Thank you, Dean." Cas got out of bed, blushing again when his yellowed pyjamas were revealed. Dean said nothing to shame him though, so Cas started towards the hall. He paused at the door to his bedroom though and peered into the darkness hesitantly.

"I promise there's nothing in here," Dean said at Cas' shoulder, making the angel jump.

Dean chuckled softly. "Here," he said, and he disappeared for a moment. The lights in the hallway flickered on, revealing an empty corridor. "I told you you're safe," Dean said, but he smiled.

Cas nodded. "Thank you, Dean."

"No problem, Cas." Dean didn't have to ask what Cas meant. The angel's eyes were filled with gratitude for everything Dean had done since finding him outside the bunker, trench coat torn to shreds.

Cas disappeared, and Dean set about doing Cas' laundry and cleaning the mattress. By the time he was done, he heard Cas making his way back. The angel entered, clad in fresh pyjamas. Dean laughed. With his damp hair sticking up in all directions, and his drooping, tired eyes, Cas made quite the sight. 

"Alright," Dean said. "You're going to sleep in my bed. I'll take the couch."

"But Dean-"

"No, Cas. You can't sleep here tonight. After everything you've been through you need a good sleep more than I do."

"We could share," Cas said hesitantly. 

Dean thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head. "Sam would never let me forget it. Besides, neither of us will sleep well then."

Cas disagreed, but he didn't argue. 

"If this happens again, I will be taking you up on that though. I can only take so much of that couch. Kidding," Dean added quickly when he saw the fear on Cas' face. "I'm sure it's just a one time thing."

Cas nodded slowly. "The new room was odd. Perhaps that caused the dream."

Dean shrugged. "Maybe, although you slept in my room last night with no problems."

"It smells like you," Cas said simply. 

Dean blushed. "Time for bed," he said so that he didn't have to acknowledge Cas' statement. 

Dean walked out of the room, and Cas followed. At the door to his room, Dean paused and watched as Cas got into bed. Once the angel was settled, Dean turned out the lights and headed to the couch. He hoped Cas would fall back to sleep quickly. Between the lumpy couch and thoughts of Cas, Dean knew he was going to have a long night.


	8. Chapter 8

"Dean?" 

Dean groaned and stretched. "You really need to get over your thing for mornings, Sam."

"Why are you on the couch?" Sam asked. "I thought I spent all yesterday cleaning so you could have your bed back."

"Long story," Dean said.

Sam wasn't going to be deterred that easily though. Finally, Dean gave up and filled his brother in on the previous night.

"An accident?" Sam said incredulously. 

"I know," Dean said, heading to the kitchen to put on some coffee. "He was pretty broken up about it though."

"Yah, I won't say anything," Sam promised. "Have you seen him yet this morning?"

"First thing I saw was your ugly mug, unfortunately."

Sam rolled his eyes at his brother and started working on scrambled eggs. Cas had yet to try those, and Sam had a feeling the angel would be a fan. By the time breakfast was ready though, Cas still had not appeared. Sam and Dean debated waking him up. In the end though, they left the angel alone, assuming Cas needed the extra sleep.

Noon came and went, and there was no sign of Castiel. Sam looked up from his book when Dean stood to check the time yet again.

"Would you just go check on him?" Sam said in exasperation. 

Dean shrugged. "He can sleep as long as he wants. All I'm saying is the guy needs to learn about alarm clocks."

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean's faked nonchalance. "I'm worried. Will you please go check on Cas?"

Dean jumped up from his chair. "Well if it would make you feel better..." He strode out of the library and down the hall before Sam could get in another word. 

Dean knocked softly on his bedroom door. There was no response. "Cas," he called, knocking a little harder. Still there was no answer. That was the extent of Dean's patience. He threw open the door, revealing an empty room. Dean was about to leave, even more concerned for Cas than before, when the pile of blankets on his bed shifted. _Freaking angels._

"What the hell, Cas?" Dean demanded. "Why didn't you answer me?"

"My apologies Dean. I didn't hear you. I was meditating," Cas said from beneath the blankets.

Dean resisted the urge to pull the covers off of the angel's face. Sitting on the bed instead, Dean moderated his voice. "Trying to hear Heaven again?" he asked neutrally. 

"Yes. I'm useless as a human. Don't argue," Cas said, cutting off Dean's objections. "Last night proved that. I will continue to be a detriment until I get my Grace back. Without it I contribute nothing to our cause."

"Cas," Dean growled. "Will you at least look at me?" He yanked back the covers, revealing a wide-eyed Castiel. Those blue eyes were red-rimmed, painting a different picture than Cas' words had. It broke Dean's heart to think of his angel huddled in bed alone, uncertain of how to deal with tears and unwilling to come to him for help.

"Cas," Dean said again, softly this time. "You need to give us a chance to help you. You're already doing great."

Cas turned his head to stare out the window, saying nothing in response.

Dean suppressed a sigh. He had no idea what to say. Talking was Sam's strong point, not his. "Cas you're useful without your Grace. You know so much that Sam and I have never even heard of. You speak a million languages. You're smart Cas. You see the world in a different way. Most importantly, you keep our spirits up. Grace or no Grace, we are so much better with you around."

Cas finally met Dean's eyes. 

"Come on," Dean said. "Let's get you out of bed. Lesson number four in being human is that moping in bed all day is never as satisfying as you think it will be." 

Dean threw the covers back, and stood up from the bed so Cas could get out. While Cas disentangled himself from his nest of sheets, Dean searched through the angel's drawers. Grabbing a sweater and jeans, he threw the clothes at Cas. "Get dressed and meet me in the bathroom. We need to brush your teeth, then you can help me make lunch."

Cas' eyes brightened for the first time that day. "I'll cook?"

"Well, sandwiches." Dean saw Cas' face fall. "Yah Cas, you'll cook," he said. 

Cas returned his smile.

.................................................

It was a successful day for Cas in the end. Dean took over brushing his teeth when Cas took too long. The angel had taken Dean's caution about not brushing too hard to heart. Unfortunately, in his care, he was also quite slow. Dean assured Cas that doing most of it himself was a victory though and after that Cas was happy to accept Dean's help. With Dean's assistance, Cas also made lunch for himself and the Winchesters. 

"Best sandwich I ever had," Sam assured him. 

Dean only had to remind Cas to use the toilet once. Unless he became engrossed in something, Cas was getting better at recognizing the sensations in his body. Luckily for Dean, Cas was demonstrative of what he needed, even if he wasn't consciously aware of it. If Cas got fidgety, Dean knew it was time for him to use the bathroom. When he shivered, Dean got him a sweater and taught him that it meant he was cold. 

Despite seeming less depressed, Cas was still listless through the day. He spent much of afternoon on the couch, yawning. If Cas kept getting crappy sleeps at night, Dean would have to set a nap time he decided, as he called Cas to dinner, only to find the angel stretched out, half asleep. 

It was still early once they had finished supper, but Dean decided it was bedtime for Cas. He again helped the angel with his teeth, this time because Cas seemed too devoid of energy to do it himself. While Cas dressed in his pyjamas, Dean remade his bed. Castiel joined Dean once he was ready for bed. Dean heard the angel come to the door behind him, but Cas made no move to enter the room. He stood at the entrance, looking at the bed as though it would bite. 

"It's ok Cas. Last night was probably just a one-off. You'll be fine," Dean assured him.

Cas nodded, but he didn't seem entirely convinced.

"Why don't you go pee before bed. That will help," Dean said. 

Cas agreed and disappeared to the washroom. When he came back, Dean waited for him to crawl into bed before hitting the lights. 

"Dean?" Cas said hesitantly. "Could you leave the door open?"

Dean paused. What had happened to his fearless angel? But then, it had to be hard on Cas losing his power, the thing that normally kept him safe. 

"Sure Cas," Dean said. If leaving the door open made his friend feel more secure, well, it was a small thing.

 

........................................................

Dean grumbled and rolled over, half asleep. Something tugged at his mind though, pulling him into wakefulness. 

"Dean," he heard. It sounded like-

"I'm coming Cas," Dean called. He jumped out of bed and hurried down the hall. When Dean got to Cas' room, the angel was sitting up in bed, still in the dark. He was hugging his knees into his chest, and had his face buried in his arms. The covers were thrown aside, leaving him shivering in the cool night air.

"Cas?" Dean asked. He switched on the lights, only to have his suspicions confirmed. 

"Oh Cas," Dean said sympathetically as he took in the wet patch that stretched from where Cas' stomach would have been while lying down, to his knees. 

Cas said nothing, and Dean approached him slowly, like he would a frightened animal. Dean stood awkwardly beside Cas' hunched form for a moment, before he tentatively reached out and placed a hand on Cas' shoulder. It was like flipping a switch. The angel looked up, and Dean was shattered to see the shame and fear in Cas' eyes. Eyes that were red and watery. 

"I'm so sorry for waking you up, but I didn't know what to do," Cas said finally. He ducked his head back down, and his body shuddered. 

"Hey, it's okay," Dean said. In that moment, Dean felt more like he was talking to a young Sam or to Ben than his best friend. His parenting instincts kicked in, and as he had the previous night, Dean sat beside Cas on the bed. This time, he pulled Cas into a tight hug. 

"Look," Dean said gently. "We'll figure this out in the morning, but for now let's just get you cleaned up and into bed. You really need sleep, Cas. Besides," he said with a smile. "Lesson number 5 is that everything is easier to deal with in the morning. Well, after coffee at least. Before that life's a bitch."

Cas just looked confused.

Dean shrugged. "It's a crappy saying for anyone who isn't Sam. Whatever you do, don't let him turn you into a morning person. They are the worst type of people."

Dean stood and pushed the blankets back the rest of the way. "At least your other pyjamas are clean again. Come find me in my room when you're finished changing."

Dean left to give Cas some privacy. Another night on the goddam couch. Even besides that, he needed to figure out something to do about Cas' bedwetting for the angel's sake. Cas was so sleep deprived he wasn't functional. Dean sat on his bed, waiting for Cas. No solutions to his problem immediately presented themselves. Tomorrow he would do research.

Cas walked into Dean's room moments later, looking around himself nervously. An angel who was afraid of the dark. Go figure. 

"In you get," Dean said, standing up so that Cas could crawl into his bed. Cas climbed under the covers and stared up at him. The normally startling blue eyes were still puffy from crying, and his long lashes formed wet clumps. Dean didn't know what else to do though. He turned off the lights and was walking to the door when he heard a muffled sob. In the dark, Dean found the light switch and turned it back on. The brightness revealed Cas with his face pressed into Dean's pillow, trying to cry quietly. 

"Hey," Dean said rushing over. "What's wrong? What can I do?"

Cas shook his head against the pillow.

"I don't want to go to bed with you this upset," said Dean. He tugged away the pillow so that Cas was forced to look at him. 

"Please stay," Cas said. As soon as the words left his lips, Cas pressed his hand to his mouth, eyes wide. "I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"Is that what you want?" Dean asked in surprise.

Cas nodded slowly. 

Dean got up and turned off the lights. Then, he slipped into bed beside Cas. "This is a one-time thing," he said gruffly. "And not a word of this to Sam."

"I promise," Cas said. "Thank you." His voice was shaky, but there were no more sobs. 

In the darkness, Dean thought he could make out a faint smile gracing his angel's face.


	9. Chapter 9

Dean was more than a little relieved when he woke up in a dry bed. It wasn't that he expected Cas to wet his bed, but he hadn't even considered that Casiel would have a problem with bed wetting in the first place. Cas was still asleep, his head resting on Dean's chest and one hand strewn across the hunter's waist. It meant that Dean was effectively trapped, especially since he was loathe to wake the tired angel. Dean lay in bed as long as he could stand it. Eventually though, the cramps in his neck and shoulders became unbearable, as did his boredom. 

"Cas," Dean said softly. He rubbed a hand up and down the man's spine. 

Cas shivered and murmured appreciatively, but he didn't wake up. 

"Wake up."

That time Cas groaned and stretched. He blinked open his eyes and met Dean's gaze with a contented smile.

"Sleep well?" Dean asked.

"Mhm," Cas practically purred. He arched his back into Dean's hand, getting the most possible contact out the back rub. Although Cas expected Dean to stop, his friend continued the soothing motion. After a few blissful moments, Cas sat up. He knew Dean was only still there for his benefit. Dean wasn't one to lie in bed, at least not without a copy of _Busty Asian Beauties_ , and Cas was certainly not that. 

"Thank you for last night," Cas said as he watched Dean get up. 

"Anytime Cas," Dean said. He surprised himself to realize that he meant it. Even Sam's puppy eyes didn't tug at his heart strings as much as Cas in distress. "I'm sorry you aren't having an easy time with this. I promise today Sammy will help you start looking into how to get your Grace back."

"What about you?" Cas asked. 

Dean brushed the question aside smoothly. "I have other research to do. Now go brush your teeth."

As he started towards the door to Dean's bedroom, Cas hesitated. He took a deep breath to calm himself, then turned around. "Will you help?" 

Dean paused. Brushing his teeth was something that Cas needed to learn to do for himself. It was a small thing though, and his angel looked so hopeful...

"Sure Cas," Dean said. "You use the bathroom while I get dressed. Then I'll be in to give you a hand."

Cas nodded happily. He was much less reluctant when he walked away this time. Yah, if taking two minutes to brush Cas' teeth made him that much more positive about his situation, it was completely worth it, whether Dean found it strange or not. 

 

.......................................

 

Before breakfast, Dean managed to pull Sam aside and fill him in on the previous night's events. Sam agreed that it was time to focus on getting Cas back to normal, so as soon as breakfast was finished, Sam took Castiel to the bunker's library. Dean followed shortly after with the laptop. He was careful to place himself in a corner of the room where Cas wouldn't inadvertently glimpse what he was looking at. 

Once he was settled, Dean pulled up Google and sat staring at the empty search bar. How did one research "angel turned human started wetting bed"? Finally, Dean typed in "kid started wetti..." Google supplied the rest, and Dean found himself staring at a list of websites relating to "my child started bed wetting again". Some of the information seemed good. It wasn't until Dean remembered that he was looking into this for Cas that he grew uncomfortable and closed the pages. 

By then, Dean had seen what he needed to though. The causes of bedwetting weren't useful; after all, Cas was a unique case. Some of the solutions seemed legitimate though. Dean was reluctant to restrict Cas from drinking before bed, especially since the angel was just getting the hang of recognizing when he was thirsty. It would only confuse Cas now if Dean started denying him drinks when he asked for it. Waking Cas up through the night also seemed less than ideal. Even if that wouldn't wreck Dean's own rest, he wanted Cas to get caught up on sleep as soon as possible. Even now, when Dean looked over at the other men, Cas was beginning to nod over the book he was supposed to be reading. What did seem like a good idea though, was a mattress cover. If nothing else it would mean that Cas could sleep in his own bed even if he wet it. Dean would just need to change the sheets and they could both go back to sleep per normal. Yes, that was definitely a plan, and Dean liked having direction. 

Dean stood up, stretched, and put away the laptop. Sam looked up at him as Dean made to leave the library, but Dean looked pointedly at Cas' and put his finger to his lips. Instead, he took one of his cellphones out of his pocket and texted Sam. "Gonna head out to grab Cas some more clothes and a plastic mattress cover."

Sam read the text and cocked an eyebrow at Dean. 

Dean wrote back, "Seems like the easiest way to deal with Cas' issue until you guys figure out where his angel mojo went."

Sam nodded, and Dean left to grab his car keys and wallet.

....................................

 

Dean spent much longer shopping than he had intended. The problems began when he went looking for the mattress cover. Unsure of where he would find one, Dean put aside his feelings of embarrassment and asked a sales lady in the nearest department store, where they would be. 

"My uh... son, has been wetting the bed recently. I need one of those plastic things that save the mattress."

"Poor little thing," the woman responded. "That must be so hard on him."

"Yah," Dean said, when he realized she was waiting for a response. "He's ah, pretty torn up about it."

"Well, potty training is a step back for each two forward. He'll get there. Plastic sheets are on the top floor, with the other items for little ones."

Dean thanked her and left as soon as he could get away. Jesus. The things he would do for that freaking angel. 

It didn't take long for Dean to find the escalator, and he made his way to the top floor. Immediately, Dean realized what the sales woman meant by "items for little ones". That entire section of the store looked like an enormous nursery. It was all baby furniture and colourful sheets. Interestingly, or awkwardly, Dean wasn't sure which, the rainbow sheets that Cas so desperately wanted were there. Dean let out a huff of irritation and stalked away from the display to find what he came for. 

It took Dean only a few minutes to find the mattress protectors. He grabbed two, because why not, and headed to leave. When Dean got to the down escalator, he hesitated though. The woman behind him almost walked into his back, and Dean apologized quickly and stepped off to the side. 

It was the goddam rainbow sheets. Cas really didn't need them, but part of Dean was itching to go back and get them. He kept imagining the smile that would light up Cas' face if he arrived home with them. Besides, Cas did need an extra set of sheets. Dean couldn't keep washing the fish ones each night. As Dean's body turned of its own accord and headed back for the stupid sheets, the hunter realized two things. First, at some point he had accepted that Cas' bedwetting would likely be an ongoing issue, and secondly, Castiel had Dean wrapped firmly around his little finger. He was such a sucker.

Once Dean added the rainbow sheets to his pile of purchases, he went down two floors to find Cas some pyjamas. On his journey through the store's top floor, Dean had been bombarded with footie pyjamas in bright colours and soft fleeces. Despite himself, Dean thought of Cas. He remembered how the angel was always cold at night and how childlike Cas had looked when asking if Dean would sleep with him. Thankfully the pyjamas were only in children's sizes. As much as Dean wanted to think he could have resisted, he was uncomfortably uncertain whether or not he could have gone back to the bunker without a pair if they would have fit Castiel. In the end, Dean found flannel pyjamas with teddy bears on them. For some reason, he felt sure that Cas would prefer those to the plain-coloured or plaid options. 

When Dean had finally paid for his items and gotten back to the Impala, he was disgusted to see how much time had passed. He had spent all that time debating over rainbow sheets and fleecy pyjamas. Next thing he would be lactating. If Cas needed anything else, Dean would be sending Sam to do the shopping. 

 

..............................

Dean had been right. Cas' reaction to the rainbow sheets was completely worth Sam's raised eyebrow and the realization that he, Dean Winchester, was a sucker. None of that mattered when Cas' eyes brightened and he stared at Dean for confirmation that yes, the hideously bright sheets really were for him. When Cas took them from Dean, a grin split his face. He pressed them to himself and asked Dean, almost shyly, if Dean would help him put them on his bed right now. Dean figured the bed should be dry by that point, so he agreed. 

Unfortunately, the plastic mattress cover was less well received. Cas looked at it forlornly, after Dean had stretched it out over the bed. It was easy to tell what Cas was thinking. Dean knew the angel considered it a sign of failure, perhaps even a punishment.

"It's just in case Cas," Dean assured him, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. 

"You expect me to pee in the bed again."

"Not at all." It was a blatant lie, but Dean didn't have the heart to make Cas feel worse. "Look, if you get through tonight we'll take it off."

"Of course," Cas said, but Dean could read the upset on his face.

"Here, help me put your new sheets on," Dean said.

Cas took one end of the fitted sheet, and by the time he and Dean had finished making his bed, Cas was back to smiling. He stood back and admired their work. 

"It's wonderful," Cas breathed.

Dean was sure that at some point all the bright colours would trigger a seizure, but he put on a smile of his own. "Looks great Cas."

 

............................................

 

After supper, Sam and Dean talked while Cas stretched out on the couch. It wasn't long before the angel was snoring softly, and Dean felt it was safe to turn the conversation to more sensitive topics.

"So how did you guys make out with the research?"

Sam grimaced. "Not well. I don't even know where to start though. We have no idea what happened to him or how it went down."

"No revelations from Cas then."

"I don't know Dean; I mean, something obviously happened. Who knows though if he can't remember because of something supernatural or because he's repressing it or if it's something else entirely. Maybe he's faking it."

"Nah," Dean said. "Cas isn't that good a liar."

Both brothers looked to the sleeping form on their couch. 

"He slept almost all day."

Dean shrugged. "Good. He needs it. We'll just keep looking, and once Cas gets more comfortable with everything he'll be able to give us a hand."

"What can even do that to an angel?" Sam sighed.

"Another angel? God?" 

Sam shook his head. "It ju-"

He was cut off by a small grumble from the couch. Cas rolled over. He was clutching a couch cushion to himself in his sleep. 

"I should get him to bed," Dean said. 

Sam raised his eyebrows as Dean stood and made his way to the sleeping angel. There was definitely something going on. Neither Cas nor Dean were that good at hiding things though, as much as they always tried. In all likelihood, neither of the men were aware of the changes in them that Sam was noticing, so Sam said nothing to his brother as he watched Dean stand over Castiel, looking tenderly down at the sleeping form.

Dean bent down and placed one hand behind Cas' shoulders and another beneath his knees. 

"Need help?" Sam asked.

Dean braced himself and lifted from his legs. He managed to straighten up, with Cas clutched against his chest. 

"Nope," Dean said. He turned to face Sam. "I'm good." 

There was a hint of strain in Dean's voice, but he looked like he could manage. Sam got up and headed to the kitchen to make tea, leaving his brother to deal with the angel. _Profound bond my ass._

Dean grunted as he shifted Cas in his arms. The other man wasn't that heavy, but he was dead weight. Carefully, so as not to wake his cargo or trip over himself, Dean placed one foot in front of the other and made his way towards Cas' room. 

Dean had reached the hallway when he almost did drop Cas. It started with warmth then wetness, hitting his thighs, then his knees as he walked. Dean stopped in his tracks, which was when he heard the sounded of water dripping on the hardwood floor. He took a couple of steps backwards, and yes, there was a puddle where he had been standing. Dean really didn't need the confirmation, but he looked at Castiel's crotch. It was surrounded by a dark circle, which continued to grow as Dean watched. 

"Cas," Dean said loudly. He gave the body in his arms as much of a shake as he could. "Hey, wake up."

Castiel groaned. "Hm?" He blinked at Dean, still disoriented and half-asleep.

"What the fuck, Cas?"

It took Cas a moment, but after seconds of staring at Dean's angry face, his eyes finally widened in horror. He struggled in Dean's arms.

"Hey," Dean said loudly. "Hold on. You're going to fall."

Dean managed to set the squirming angel down. As soon as he did, Cas looked from his pants, to Dean's, to the floor. He stood stark still, terrified eyes wide. Cas' whole body was tensed. Fight or flight was written across his face, and Dean felt himself tense in turn, ready to run after Cas if need be. Instead, indecision won, and Cas crouched down, face half covered in his hands, staring, unable to look away from his mess. 

"Oh no no no." Cas repeated the words over and over, with an occasional "I'm so sorry," thrown in. Dean's initial anger cooled. Yes, it was gross, but Dean had been covered in far worse things. Besides, Cas obviously didn't do it on purpose.

Dean knelt down beside the frightened figure. "Hey," he said, far more gently than before. "It's okay. I'm sorry I overreacted. It was just... unexpected."

"I'm so sorry," Cas said. He was still staring straight ahead, as though he had not even heard Dean. "Couldn't control... didn't know..."

Dean pulled Cas against him in a hug. Had Cas come unhinged again? 

At the physical contact, Cas snapped out of his stupor. He looked at Dean. "I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up, but please don't make me leave. It was an accident Daddy."

If Dean had been worried about Cas before, it was nothing compared to the feeling of watching the blood drain from his angel's face. 

"Father," Cas breathed, and Dean knew Cas wasn't talking to him that time. "I-" Cas swallowed. "I'll gather my things and leave. I had no intention of putting you in this position when I came here, Dean."

The words were Castiel's, but the angel sounded nothing like himself. He was so despondent, and maybe even juvenile. Dean was overwhelmed by the need to solve all of Cas' problems, to wipe every line of worry from his beautiful face. 

Dean shifted positions so he was seated, rather than crouched. As he moved he pulled Cas with him, so the angel ended up on his lap, with Dean's arms wrapped firmly around Cas' narrow middle. 

Cas grimaced as he felt his wet bum contact Dean's legs. Beneath him, the fabric of Dean's jeans soaked up more of his pee.

Dean shushed Cas' attempts to talk, and held him against his struggles to stand up. 

"Cas, baby," the word felt foreign on Dean's tongue, but as soon as it slipped out, he knew it sounded right. "Is that how you see this?"

"I think we should just forget this entire thing. I will pack immediately-"

Dean cut Cas off. The angel's stilted way of talking was so wrong in the moment. "I only want to hear a 'yes' or a 'no' out of you, Castiel." Dean paused. There was no coming back from this. Deep down, Dean knew it was right though. "Do you want me to be your...dad?"

Cas didn't speak, but at least he didn't try to leave again.

"I've told you before Cas, you're family. There is nothing I wouldn't do to make things easier on you. We would have some things to figure out. I mean, I'm more of the cool uncle type." Cas didn't laugh, and Dean sighed. "What I'm saying is, if you need me to be your Dad..dy, I will do my best. But I need to hear a 'yes' or 'no' from you."

Cas was silent for so long, that Dean was almost ready to give up. Finally though, in a voice so quiet that Dean thought he imagined it, Cas said "yes". 

Dean sucked in his breath sharply, and Cas cringed. 

"It's okay baby," Dean said, trying out the new nickname again. It actually fit Cas well in that moment. "You're okay. We're going to figure this out."

Cas let Dean pull their bodies closer together, and he turned his head so it was braced against Dean's chest. 

They stayed like that until Dean had his own heart rate under control. Then, once he felt Cas relax and heard the man's breathing slow, Dean gave Cas a gentle squeeze around his waist. 

"Come on baby," Dean said. "Let's go get you cleaned up." 

Cas stood shakily, and Dean followed suit. He took the angel's trembling hand in his own, and Dean led his little angel to the bathroom and bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was thought up by CaptainCrush. Full props for the idea and final scene.


	10. Chapter 10

Dean took Cas by the hand and led him to the bathroom. As they walked, Dean watched his friend out of the corner of his eye. The angel checked over his shoulder twice before Dean realized what was bothering him.

"Don't worry Cas. Sammy is in the kitchen. I'll deal with the floor once I get you in the shower. Sam doesn't have to know a thing."

"Thank you," Cas said. After that, he focused on his feet, avoiding Dean's eyes.

When they got to the bathroom, Dean turned on the shower. "I'll be back in a moment. Get started if you want."

Cas didn't respond, and finally Dean left. He thought about taking his time with cleaning up the floor. Maybe by the time he was done, Cas would be in the shower or perhaps even finished. 

As Dean took a wad of paper towel to Cas' puddle, he thought back to the look on Cas' face when the angel realized he had peed his pants. He remembered Cas calling him 'Daddy' and his own promise. Dean had known there would be no turning back when he offered to take care of Cas. Their relationship would never be the same. What Dean hadn't realized in the stress of the moment was the level of commitment he had made to Cas with that promise. Now that he finally had time to think rather than just react, the gravity of it was clear. But nothing between them had changed yet. There was still time to back peddle, pretend it never happened. Cas would let him get away with that.

As he wiped up the floor, Dean pictured Cas washing himself in the shower, motions slow with sadness, eyes downcast. And that was all it took. He wasn't going to delay in hopes that Cas would end up taking care of himself. Dean finished cleaning as fast as he could so he could get back to Cas... his Cas.

When Dean reached the bathroom, steam was beginning to waft from the shower, but Cas was still fully dressed, standing in the middle of the room. As Dean saw the angel he hesitated. Cas hadn't seen him yet; he could still turn around and let Cas clean himself up. The angel was perfectly capable. 

The problem was, in that moment Cas almost didn't look able to take care of himself. Like in the hallway, when Dean had accidentally called Cas "baby", the man seemed fragile somehow, maybe even young. It was easier to imagine taking care of Cas when he looked that way. If Dean was going to be "Daddy", or whatever, it would be easiest to start right then. If he waited until the next morning, Dean wasn't sure he would be able to follow through.

Dean took a deep breath and strode confidently into the bathroom. 

"Ok Baby," Dean said. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Cas looked at Dean questioningly. Dean knew it was time to lead; it was what the angel was waiting for.

Dean walked towards Cas and said "arms up", like he used to with Sammy. Cas looked confused, but he did as he was told. Grabbing the bottom of Cas' t-shirt, Dean pulled it up over the shorter man's head. He threw it on the floor and turned back to Cas. 

_Just do it Winchester,_ Dean thought. He took hold of Cas' soaked jeans and undid the button and zipper. In one smooth motion, Dean pulled down Cas' pants and boxers. Dean blushed; Cas didn't. But then again, Dean had never known the angel to be prudish. For him, Jimmy's body was just a vessel. If being naked didn't bother Cas, Dean decided he had no reason to be embarrassed for the other man. 

"In you get," Dean said after he tested the water temperature. 

Cas followed Dean's directions. As he stepped into the water, he sighed deeply in appreciation. 

"Lesson six," Dean said. "A hot shower can fix almost anything." 

He closed the door to the shower behind the angel. "Can you wash yourself? I guess I should have run a bath."

"I'm fine Dean," Cas said.

Dean eyed him uncertainly, but it was a bit late to change his approach. "I'm going to start the laundry and grab you some pyjamas. I'll be right back."

Cas didn't respond, lost in the blissful sensation of the hot water coursing down his body. It didn't completely solve how dirty he felt, but it was a good first step. 

Cas watched as Dean left. The angel considered the closed door for a moment, before remembering that Dean had given him a task. What had happened - calling Dean Daddy and Dean accepting the roll - was so unexpected, but Cas couldn't bring himself to feel regret. Cas had long considered Dean his best friend, then his family. Their relationship had evolved so many times that maybe it could survive another change. And if Cas was honest with himself, he could use the support. 

When Dean got back, he checked to make sure that Cas had cleaned his hair and body, before he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around the angel. The towel was wonderfully warm, and Cas looked at Dean questioningly.

"I put it in the dryer for a few minutes. My mom used to do that. Always thought it was a nice touch." Dean blushed.

"It's wonderful," Cas said, finally feeling the urge to smile. 

Dean cleared his throat. "Yah, well. Anytime."

Not looking at Cas, Dean took the angel's hand and led him back to his bedroom. Grabbing pyjama pants from Cas' clean bed, Dean held them open for the angel to step into. Then, he pulled a top over Cas' head. 

"Alright," Dean said. "Bedtime."

He pulled back the top blankets, revealing the fresh sheets below. Cas blushed, realizing that Dean had again cleaned his bed that day. As he sat on the bed, Cas heard an unexpected crinkle. The sound came again when he shifted his weight to lie down. Cas looked at Dean.

"It's the mattress protector," Dean explained.

Cas blushed. 

"You just have to keep it on there for tonight, Baby," Dean said. "When you wake up dry tomorrow it can come off."

At the nickname, Cas turned even more red, and Dean felt instantly bad. Maybe right then wasn't the best time to point out Cas' immaturity.

Dean expected more protest regarding the plastic sheet, but it didn't come. Cas was silent as he lay down in bed. He didn't meet Dean's eyes, instead curling up on his side, facing away from Dean and his bedroom door.

_Good one, Dean._

Dean pulled the covers up over Cas.

"Goodnight," he said.

Cas didn't reply. Dean stood watching Cas for a moment. Was it better to say something, or did Cas just need sleep? Would talking make things worse? In Dean's experience, yes. He remained in the room for a moment, giving Castiel the chance to talk if he wanted to. The angel remained curled up in a silent ball though, and eventually Dean left.

 

 

True to his word, Dean said nothing to Sam. He was certain Sam would figure out that something was going on; his brother wasn't stupid. If secrecy would make Cas more comfortable though, Dean would do his part until Sam stumbled upon the truth for himself. Eventually, Dean knew Sam would. 

As he headed to bed later that night, Dean stopped by Cas' room to check on his angel. At some point during the night, Cas had rolled over to face the door. In the dim light from the hall, Dean could make out the traces of dried tears on Cas' cheeks. Sonuvabitch. If that didn't break his heart, he didn't have one. 

Dean knew in that moment that he had to do whatever it took to make Cas feel better. His area wasn't research. Checking the literature and piecing the information together was Sam's domain. If anyone figured out what happened to the angel's Grace and how to get it back, it would be Sam or Cas himself. Dean's forte was actions. Doing things was where he excelled, and starting tomorrow, Dean would do whatever he could to get Cas back to himself and to keep him there. Even if that meant being the angel's Daddy. 

 

.......................................................

The next morning, Dean woke up to his alarm. He never set one when he and Sam weren't hunting, but that morning he was determined to be present when Cas woke up. Hopefully they could start the day off well, and the fact that Dean hadn't been woken up through the night by Cas had to be a good sign. If the plastic sheet could come off his bed, it would be a good step to getting Cas in a better mood. Dean was pretty certain they would be better off leaving the sheet on, but not using it meant a lot to Cas. And who knew, maybe the angel would get away without using it for a few nights.

Dean walked into Cas' room. The angel was still asleep, and for once he looked peaceful. Not depressed, not tired, just at ease. 

"Good morning, Baby Angel," Dean said brightly. Hopefully if he was in a good mood, it would carry over to Cas. Besides, Dean was going to be making some changes to their lives today, and he needed Cas to know that Dean was okay with it.

Cas blinked, and slowly his eyes opened. "Dean?" he said.

"Time to get up," Dean said, resting a hand on Cas' head. 

The angel yawned and stretched his arms over his head. Abruptly, Cas' eyes widened and his hands flew down to his stomach. Cas reached under the blankets, and his face instantly fell.

"Dean, I-"

"It's okay, baby," Dean said. It was obvious what was wrong. 

"But the plastic sheet-"

"Did what it was supposed to. It's okay. Accidents happen. You're still figuring this out."

Cas didn't look convinced, and Dean sighed. He sat on the edge of the bed so he could put his arms around his friend. "Don't let this ruin your day. I'm just glad you got a full night's sleep."

They sat like that until Dean felt Cas begin to squirm. The wet sheets and pyjamas had to be uncomfortable. 

"Go get the shower started, and I'll be right there," Dean said. "We're going to have a great day, baby. I promise."

Cas nodded and got out of bed, revealing a wet patch from his waist to his knees. Dean waited until the angel had left, and then he began to strip the bed. It was going to be a long day; his first day as "Daddy Winchester".


	11. Chapter 11

By the time Dean returned with something for Cas to wear, the angel was finished with his shower. He smiled when the hunter entered the bathroom. Dean was right, a hot shower made all the difference. 

"Done already?" Dean asked in surprise. "Are you sure you cleaned everywhere?"

Cas nodded.

"Did you wash your hair?"

"Yes Dean."

Maybe next time they would do a bath, Dean decided. 

Dean handed Cas the clothes he had brought. It was the last set in Cas' wardrobe. Yes, Dean could do the laundry, but he hadn't intended Cas to have such a limited supply of clothing in the longterm. The last shopping trip had mainly been to hold Cas over until they knew if he would be human for awhile and it was worth stocking up on attire for him. Dean mentally adjusted the day he had planned out for Cas and himself.

"Cas, how would you feel about going to the mall today?"

"If you would like."

Cas still seemed a little subdued for Dean's liking. He tried to make his own demeanor as energetic as possible, hoping the angel would adopt a bit of the vibe. 

"We'll make a day out of it. It's about time you had a break from the bunker. Besides, I haven't gotten a chance to show you all the best parts about being human yet."

"Sure, Dean."

Dean repressed a sigh. It wasn't exactly the enthusiasm he had been hoping for, but Cas hadn't been having the easiest time of it recently. 

"Have you gone pee yet?" Dean asked before he led Cas to the kitchen for breakfast. 

"Yes, Dean."

"Good man," Dean said. He rolled his eyes as he walked down the hallway in front of Cas. What the hell was he doing? It was less than an hour into his day with Cas, and he was already making an awkward mess out of things. Dean also noticed that Cas hadn't called him "Daddy" again. Was Dean not exuding enough of the "daddy" vibe to warrent the name, or was Cas uncomfortable using it? The oddest thing was that he almost felt disappointed that Cas was calling him by name again. Maybe he would feel less awkward talking to Cas like he was a child if Cas acted more like one. Then again, maybe Cas was trying to follow Dean's example. Dean did sigh out loud then. Hunting was so simple. Gank and go home. Why couldn't things with Castiel be that easy?

When they reached the kitchen, Dean got Cas seated at the table and brought a plate of pancakes over to him. The pancakes were already cut up into little pieces. Cas said nothing about that, just thanked Dean for the food. 

At the first bite, Cas' eyes lit up with delight. "This is amazing," the angel said. "Why don't we have these everyday."

Dean smiled and ruffled the angel's hair. There was his Cas. 

 

....................................................

After breakfast, once Dean had brushed Cas' teeth, they prepared for their day outside the bunker. Dean made sure Cas peed before they left, insisting the angel try even when he said he didn't have to. Even if he wasn't a natural caregiver-type, Dean had his days of watching Sammy to fall back on. He had learned a number of lessons then, including always have the kid go to the bathroom before the long car trip. 

Dean and Cas made decent time to the nearest mall. They parked the Impala and went inside. Dean was starting to get his confidence back after breakfast. If a simple thing like pancakes could bring a smile to the angel's face, then maybe it wouldn't be so hard to make sure Cas had an enjoyable day.

The trouble began though when they got through the front doors of the mall. The first store they walked past was a children's store, filled with clothing, toys, and furniture for little ones. Dean was walking towards the mall map, chatting as he went, until he realized he was talking to himself and probably had been for awhile. Dean whipped around. No Cas. He forced himself to be calm. They had been there for less than five minutes. The angel couldn't have wandered far. 

Dean jogged back the way he came, and when he rounded a corner, there was Cas. The angel was staring in a store window, completely engrossed in the stuffed toy display. The angel was standing so close that his nose almost touched the glass. He was far too enthralled to notice when an angry hunter walked up behind him.

"What the hell, Cas?"

Cas whirled around. "Dean?"

"You just up and disappeared. I was worried sick."

The angel frowned his "I'm-missing-something" look. "I didn't disappear; I was right here."

Dean groaned. "Cas, you can't wander off like that. This mall is huge. It's easy to get lost in."

"Okay," Cas agreed. He looked at Dean hopefully then. "Can we go inside? This store has so many interesting things. Look. It has fake animals. They're adorable."

Cas started for the door, but Dean grabbed his shoulder. He had just finished telling Cas not to wander off, and already the angel was doing just that. Cas had the attention span of a butterfly. Or a two year-old. 

"Not so fast," Dean said, as he pulled Cas back around. "We're here for clothes. You're a grown man Cas. Grown men don't shop here. It's creepy." 

Instantly, Dean felt bad. He was supposed to be giving Cas a care-free day, but whether or not he was willing to try treating the angel like a child, the general public would not understand. Sticking to his original statement, Dean took Cas by the hand and led him back toward the mall map. He didn't risk looking at the angel until they had rounded a corner and the toy shop was out of sight. By then, Cas' face had reset to neutral. 

 

Dean and Cas had a productive morning. They managed to get Cas another pair of jeans as well as some shirts and sweaters. Dean also made a point to buy him some more pyjamas and sheets, because doing the laundry every night was growing old quickly. 

They had reached the end of the mall and were about to call it a day, when Dean noticed the final wall of the building didn't hold a store, but a movie theatre. His eyes lit up. Now that was something he could show Cas. The only question was would there be anything angel-appropriate playing. Dean casually checked out the movie list so he wouldn't get Cas excited over nothing. 

There was no reason for concern though. _Into the Woods_ was playing, and it started in thirty minutes. Dean wasn't particularly interested, but the poster said something about fairy tales and songs. Affectionately, Dean decided it sounded dorky enough to be right up Cas' alley. 

"Cas," Dean said. "How about a movie?"

"When we get back?"

Dean grinned. "Nope. Right now."

He explained the idea of movie theatres to Cas, and the angel decided it was something he should experience after-all. Dean insisted they get popcorn, because what was a trip to the movies without it? Jokingly, Dean ordered Cas a kid's pack. Cas missed the humor, but he munched happily on his smarties as they waited for the movie to begin. The popcorn on the other hand, wasn't as big a hit. Dean broke out laughing at the look on Cas' face when the angel took his first bite. 

"Salty," Cas managed, before grabbing his coke desperately. Despite his initial complaints, Cas was unimpressed when Dean offered to eat his popcorn too, and after that, Cas managed to work through it on his own. 

The movie was everything Dean could have hoped for, in the sense that Cas loved it. A few scenes had Dean smirking, but from the moment the story began, Castiel sat lost in the world of the movie. The songs drew him in, and the people fascinated him. Occasionally, he would ask Dean a question about some of the more obscure references. After the first time, he learned to whisper. 

Jack and Riding Hood had just decided to kill the giant, when Cas was hauled from the fairy tale world and back into the theatre. His attention turned to his crotch, as he felt it growing wet and warm. He tried his best to clamp down, but small spurts of pee kept escaping into his jeans. Father, Dean was going to be mad. Cas held himself and was finally able to stop the flow. He looked down at his pants. His crotch, legs, and bum felt wet, but it wasn't until the screen lit up brightly for a moment, that Cas could see the extent of the damage. His jeans were stained a dark blue in wide circles along his inner thighs. He couldn't imagine that his backside looked any better. 

Cas struggled with what to do. This was different than wetting his bed. Somehow, he knew it was worse. Even more upsetting was that Cas still had to pee, but at least his discomfort was mostly gone. 

Cas took a deep breath. There was only one thing he could do, and Dean was going to find out either way.

"Dean," Cas hissed. Part of him hoped Dean wouldn't hear.

Dean started laughing out loud to something that happened in the movie; Cas had lost track of the story completely. When Dean finally regained his breath, he leaned closer to Cas. "Yah?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Nothing," Cas said.

"You sure?"

"Yes, I was going to ask a question, but I understand now."

Cas sighed and resigned himself to finishing the movie in his wet pants, which were rapidly becoming cool and uncomfortable. Judging from the movies he had watched with Dean and Sam before, this one had to be nearly finished. Either way, he was already wet, so he might as well get to see the rest of the show. 

Cas settled back into his chair and even managed to lose himself in the excitement of the story again. At one point, he was reminded of his situation, when a small bit of pee again escaped into his pants. Cas blushed, but found he was a little more comfortable. And what did it matter? His pants were already wet anyway. He let go a little more until his stomach didn't feel achy. With his pants warm again and his bladder less full, it was easy for Cas to enjoy the rest of the movie. 

Eventually though, Cinderella sang her final "I wish", and the credits started to roll up the screen. Slowly, the lights turned on, and people began to get out of their seats. Cas had almost forgotten about his predicament until Dean turned to ask him if he had a good time.

"Cas," Dean hissed. "What happened?"

Cas swallowed. "I was distracted. I didn't know I had to go until I already was. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to."

"How long have you been sitting like that?"

Cas shrugged uncertainly.

"Oh baby angel," Dean sighed. 

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Dean said. "I should have thought to tell you to go before the movie started. That's not your fault."

"What do we do?" Cas asked. 

Dean looked around. The theatre, which had not been very full to start with, was emptying quickly. 

"We'll just wait a few more minutes until everyone leaves. Then we can find you somewhere to change. Good thing we just bought you new jeans." 

Dean chuckled, but Cas nodded solemnly. 

"I know what you're thinking," Dean said, voice serious again. "And don't. I meant it when I said this isn't your fault. I'm the one who messed up, and I'm sorry that you have to deal with the consequences. I promise we'll get you sorted though."

"Thank you," Cas whispered. He surprised Dean by leaning across the armrest that separated them and wrapping Dean in a hug. It took a moment for Dean to react, but finally he brought his arms up to Cas' back and returned the gesture.

After awhile, when Cas didn't seem inclined to pull away, Dean carefully leaned back. He glanced around.

"All clear," he told Cas.

Cas stood and started to walk through the row of seats. He deliberately didn't look at his own chair.

"Hang on little angel," Dean said. He caught up to Cas, then he removed his jacket and tied it around Cas' waist. It wasn't perfect in the front, but the dangling arms hid most of Cas' wet patch. 

"Ok," said Dean. "Go ahead."

Cas started walking, but he let Dean take the lead when they exited the theatre. Dean had never been to this particular mall, but most cinemas had the same layout. He soon found the sign for the washrooms and led Cas past the men's room to a "family" room. 

"Go on," Dean said, when Cas made no move to enter. 

"Dean-" Cas didn't finish his question, but from the look in his wide eyes, Dean could tell what he was going to ask.

"No Cas," Dean said gently. "We're in public and that room doesn't have a stall."

They were already drawing looks. Cas' accident was fairly well hidden, but it was still noticeable. Dean grimaced when he looked back at Cas. The angel looked so lost, like he didn't know what to do. He probably didn't, Dean realized. The things Dean did for his family.

Dean opened the door and waved Cas inside. 

"Don't worry," he said when Cas hesitated. "I'm coming with you."

Cas went right in, and Dean followed as promised, locking the door behind him. Thankfully the room was large, designed for either people with disabilities or parents with young children. Dean snorted at the latter. "Nothing," he said when Cas looked at him questioningly. He doubted the angel would appreciate the joke. 

"Okay buddy. Let's get you sorted out."

Dean cleaned Cas as best he could. Occasionally he threw in a joke, but the angel didn't laugh. Dean tried to draw Cas into a conversation about the movie, but while Cas had obviously loved it, he was still reserved in his replies. Cas cooperated with everything Dean asked of him, and it wasn't too long before Dean was holding open the new pair of jeans for Cas to step into. 

After Dean pulled up Cas' pants and did the button, he looked up at the angel. Cas was staring at the far wall, blinking rapidly. He purposefully didn't look at Dean. _Jesus_ , Dean thought. Cas was upset enough to cry, and Dean hadn't done anything to fix it. And he thought he could be the angel's "daddy". Sure he could tell jokes and make pancakes and go on trips to the movies, but as soon as anything got difficult, he was at a loss. Definitely more of the cool uncle type. Dean grimaced, unfortunately for Cas, he was all the angel had. Dean gathered his resolve. He had said he would commit to the promise he made to look after Cas. Well, this was his chance. 

"Alright baby," Dean said. "I have a couple of quick things I need to do before we go. Why don't I walk you to the car, and then I'll run back in to finish up. I should only need ten minutes."

Cas nodded with relief. For the most part, his outing with Dean had been a wonderful experience, but after the events of the past hour, he was ready for it to be over. 

They were about to leave the bathroom when Dean thought of something. "Cas," he said. "Do you still need to pee?"

Cas blushed brightly. "Oh right," he said. 

Dean stepped outside and waited for the angel to finish up. Shortly later, Cas joined him, and they made their way back to the parking lot. Dean took them out a different entrance than they had come in through. It was more round about, but it would be well worth the extra walk when he saw Cas' face.

Once Dean had dropped Cas off in the car, he headed back into the mall through the main entrance. Right inside the doors was the store he was looking for. Dean felt awful that Cas had to endure all that embarrassment and discomfort during what was supposed to be a good day. Worse, it was his fault for not telling Cas to go to the bathroom before the movie. He was really acing the parenting thing. If Dean didn't at least try to salvage the day, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself, and only one way to do that came to mind. 

Dean walked into the toy store that Cas had been so fascinated by earlier that day. The place was bigger than he had expected, and it was overstocked with merchandise. He wandered for a bit, hoping to find a toy quickly so he could get back to Cas. Yes, Cas was an adult and would be fine in the Impala by himself, but right then it was hard to picture Cas as full grown.

Finally Dean found what he was searching for: the stuffed animals. He looked at all the options. There were large ones, small ones, some with beans, others that were just stuffed. Some of the toys squeaked, which Dean instantly ruled out. To make the choice harder, it seemed as though every member of the animal kingdom was represented in plush.

One toy in particular caught Dean's eye though. Unless he misjudged Cas' line of sight, it was the toy the angel had been staring at earlier. The plushie was a plump bumblebee, stuffed almost to bursting. It had sparkly wings and a big smile. Very Cas, Dean decided. Hey grabbed the bee and made his way to the checkout.

Dean passed through a different aisle on his way back to the storefront. This one was intended more for younger children, and it was stocked with formula, pacifiers, bibs, and all manner of supplies for infants. What caught Dean's eye though was the diapers. He stopped in his tracks. It was so obvious that he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it earlier. Poor Cas would hate the idea, but Cas' sleep cycle and Dean's patience sorely needed a break from Cas' nighttime accidents. Dean picked up a package, but they would definitely be too small for Cas. The largest size Dean could find maxed out at 90 lbs. Cas was not a large man, but there was no way he would fit into those. Dean had almost put aside the idea, when he remembered they had passed a drugstore only a few stores down. 

Dean paid for Cas' new toy, throwing in a pack of stickers on a whim. Why the hell not? They were rainbows, and he was already buying Cas a stuffed animal. 

The drugstore was right where Dean remembered. Thankfully, the aisles were well marked, so it was only a matter of minutes to find the location he needed. Dean quickly realized he had no idea what he was looking for. The packages seemed fairly self-explanatory though, so Dean waded through the options. His feeling of awkwardness grew, until he was sure everyone who walked past was watching him, thinking he was buying diapers for himself. 

Eventually, Dean narrowed his options down to two products. Both would fit Cas, and each was maximum absorbency. Dean had no idea how absorbent Cas needed, and it seemed better to be safe. The final choice came down to pull-on or tapes. It was an easier decision to make than he expected. One mental image of Cas stretched out on the floor, being changed by Dean was enough to have Dean throwing the package back on the shelf as though it burned. Neither he nor Cas was ready for that. Besides, diapers would be a tough enough sell as it was. Cas saw his plastic mattress cover as a sign of failure. Dean didn't doubt he could get Cas into a diaper; the trick would be doing it in such a way that didn't completely ruin the angel's self-esteem.


	12. Chapter 12

When Dean got back to the car, parcels in hand, Cas was leaning against the windshield, eyes closed. For a brief moment, Dean thought with relief that the angel might be asleep; however, when Dean opened the car door, Cas' eyes opened and his head lifted. No such luck. 

"Cas, I wanted to say I'm sorry again. I got you something." 

Dean reached into the bag and withdrew the bee. He was careful not to let Cas see his other purchases. As Dean pushed the bee into Cas' hands, he watched the angel's face. Cas' expression was everything Dean had hoped for. Initial confusion was replaced by surprise and finally with joy. 

"Dean, I-" 

Dean reached in to ruffle Cas' hair. "I know," he said with a smile. While Cas was distracted by the toy, Dean threw the diapering supplies into the trunk. Thankfully, when he sat down in the car, Cas' was still absorbed with the bee and didn't ask about the other shopping bags.

Cas looked up from his toy. "Thank you, Dean. It's wonderful."

Dean blushed. "Anytime." He turned the key in the ignition, and Dean and Cas began the long drive home. 

 

.........................................

 

When they got back, Dean carried their bags inside, while Cas went straight to his room with the stuffed bee. 

"Sammy," Dean called. There was no response. He dropped the bags in the hallway and went searching for his brother. No sign of Sam. On the kitchen counter though, was a note written in Sam's neat hand. 

_Contacted Garth re Cas' issue. He remembers seeing a book once that he thinks could be useful. Went to meet him. Don't start worrying unless we're gone more than a couple of days. - S_

Dean put down the note. "Cas," he called, as he wandered towards the hallway. "Looks like it's just you and me tonight. What do you want for-"

Dean stopped in his tracks, because he had found the angel. Cas was standing in the hall, staring at the contents of the drugstore bag. He looked up as Dean approached. Dean sucked in a breath. There was so much emotion in Cas' eyes, and it was all gradients of hurt, betrayal, and shame. 

"Cas," Dean started.

"It's fine, Dean," Cas said stiffly. He gathered himself, and with as much dignity as the angel could muster, he walked back to his room and closed the door. 

"Shit," Dean hissed. He had wanted to ease Cas into the idea of diapers. That was not at all how he wanted the angel to find out. 

Dean went back to the kitchen and sat, head in his hands. There was so much damage control that needed to be done now, and he had no idea of where to start. For Cas, the diapers had to be a symbol that Dean lacked faith in him. The embarrassment in Cas' face hurt almost as much as the accusations of betrayal. Clearly the angel still thought his accidents signalled that he was failing as a human, but that was far from the truth. If anything, Cas was developing his skills faster than any human child would. 

Dean's hands fell to his lap, and he sat up straight. That was it. 

He rushed down the hallway to Cas' room. The door was still shut, so Dean knocked on it gently. 

"Come in," said a muffled voice.

Dean opened the door and frowned. The angel had cocooned himself in blankets and was currently only visible as a lump on the bed. Poor Cas.

Dean walked over and sat on the bed, making sure not to land on any parts of his friend. 

"Cas, we need to talk," he said when Cas made no effort to surface.

"No, I don't think we do."

"Cas-"

"You want me to wear them, so I'll wear them."

Dean tried to yank back the covers, but Cas had a tight grip on them. There was a few minutes of struggle as Dean tried to make Cas surface, and Cas resisted with all his human strength.

"Cas, look at me," Dean growled, as he pulled.

Cas let go of the blankets immediately, and Dean almost fell backwards at the sudden release. 

Guiltily, Cas popped his head out of his makeshift nest. Dean sighed and dug the rest of the angel out.

"Come here Baby," he said. 

Cas hesitated, but Dean pulled the angel to him. When he had Cas comfortably arranged, the angel was leaning against him, head resting under Dean's chin. In Cas' own lap, he held his present from Dean.

"Cas, I'm sorry you found out about the diapers that way. That wasn't how I wanted things to go."

"I said it's fine, Dean."

"No," Dean said. "It's not fine at all. I bought them because I thought they would help you, maybe let you be more comfortable falling asleep. They also might help you be more independent, if that's what you want." He waited, but Cas didn't comment. 

"Cas, I should have said this before now, but I don't expect you to be a perfect human adult. When humans are getting used to their bodies, they use pull-ups. That's the point you're at, the learning stage. Think of them as a tool."

This time, when Dean stopped talking, the angel nodded slowly against his chest. The response, though minute, was encouraging. 

"It's my fault you've been finding this so hard."

"Dean-"

Dean shushed him. "Just hold on. I've been treating you as an adult, because that's how I'm used to seeing you, but things are a bit different right now. I want you to know that Sam and I don't expect you to pick up these skills right away. We want you to learn at whatever pace makes you comfortable. Anyway, I think you'll find adjusting easier if I keep how I treat you more consistent."

"I'm not sure I understand," Cas said.

"All I'm asking is for you to trust me. I'll always do my best to make sure you are safe and happy."

"I know Daddy."

Cas sucked in a breath as he heard the word leave his lips. It had been on the tip of his tongue all day, but now it had finally escaped. He looked up at Dean warily. 

Dean ignored the look and pulled Cas into a hug. "Good boy," he said as he planted a kiss on the top of Cas' head. 

They sat like that until Cas' stomach grumbled. 

Dean laughed. "Alright, let's get you some food."

Cas grinned and let Dean wrangle him out of bed. As they walked down the hallway, they passed their shopping bags. Cas deliberately didn't look at them, but Dean paused as they walked by. What better way to show Cas he was okay with taking care of him?

Before he could analyze it further, Dean picked up the package of pull-ups and took Cas by the hand. He walked them back to Cas' room, where he turned to the angel.

"You might as well get comfortable with them before bed, little man. They might feel a bit odd at first."

Cas eyed the package dubiously.

"I promise it's no big deal. If you absolutely hate them we can discuss it later, but just give them a try for me."

Cas sighed, but he nodded. 

Before Cas could change his mind, Dean undid the button of his jeans, and slid his pants down around his ankles. 

"They pull on and off," Dean said as he unfolded one. He held it open for Cas to step into, and Cas followed his unspoken directions. 

"If you do need to use the bathroom, you can just pull them down," Dean continued. He tugged the diaper up so it fit snuggly around Cas' waist. Next, in a moment of inspiration, Dean grabbed the package of rainbow stickers. He peeled two off and handed one to Cas. Dean placed his own sticker on the top of the pull-up, where it covered Cas' belly. 

"There. Now you're a rainbow angel."

Cas grinned and placed his own sticker lower down. Dean peeled off two more, and soon Cas was fully decorated. When they had finished with the first sheet of stickers, Dean put the rest down on Cas' bedside table. Then, Dean pulled Cas' new jeans back up and fastened his button. Dean knew he had to be imagining it, but the angel almost looked disappointed as their artwork was covered up.

Dean didn't want Cas dwelling on his new attire, so Dean immediately took him by the hand and led him to the kitchen. It wasn't until the hunter was preparing dinner that he dared to ask how the new underwear felt. Cas was sitting nearby, alternating between watching Dean and inspecting his stuffed toy. At Dean's question, Cas simply shrugged, but he didn't look unhappy. For the moment, Dean let it go. 

As they sat over supper, Dean realized that he had no idea how to entertain Cas once they were finished eating. Luckily for Dean though, by the time dinner was done, Cas looked ready to fall asleep at the table. He rubbed his eyes, and Dean suppressed a smile. 

"Cas," Dean said softly. "Come on buddy."

Cas looked at him questioningly.

"Time for angels to go to bed."

Cas looked like he was about to protest, but then he yawned hugely. After that, Cas didn't argue. He let Dean take him by the hand and lead him to the bathroom. 

"Go pee, and I'll be right back."

"Teeth?" Cas asked.

"Yah, of course," Dean said, understanding the angel's question immediately.

When Dean returned he had a pair of the new pyjamas ready for Cas. He brushed the angel's teeth since Cas still didn't seem to like doing himself. Then, Dean pulled Cas' shirt over his head and replaced it with the softer pyjamas. Dean was about to hold open the pyjama bottoms for Cas, when he remembered the angel's pull-up. 

"Still dry?" he asked.

Cas blushed deeply, but he nodded. 

Dean grinned at him. "That's great, Cas."

Once Cas was ready for bed, Dean accompanied him to his bedroom. Dean had thought about offering to read to his angel, but Cas was already blinking to keep his eyes open. The reading could wait. Instead, Dean helped Cas into bed and tucked the blankets up around him. 

"Goodnight Cas," he said, and he ruffled the angel's tousled hair. 

"G'Night," Cas mumbled. 

Dean paused at the doorway. Cas looked so peaceful when he slept. While the angel always had an innocence about him, it was more noticeable when his eyes were closed. A sleeping Castiel was one thing Dean would really miss if- when- Cas got his mojo back. 

"Cas," Dean said.

"Mm?"

"Come get me if you have any trouble tonight."

There was no answer, and Dean knew from the heavy breathing that Cas was already well on his way to sleep. He had to trust that Cas would know to come to him. Dean quietly closed the bedroom door, leaving it open just enough to let some light from the hall into the room. An angel who was afraid of the dark and wanted sheets with fish. _Go figure_ , Dean thought, and he chuckled fondly.


	13. Chapter 13

Cas woke up and stretched. He was in his own bed, not Dean's. A cursory feel told him that his bed wasn't wet either. Cas would've felt pleased, but there was one thing left to check. He wriggled in his pull-up, and yes, it was soaked. It was impossible not to feel disappointed, but at least Dean wouldn't have to wash his sheets. Also, he was saved the embarrassment of telling Dean. Cas thought back to his conversation with Dean the day before. _You can be more independent_

Cas sighed. He had wanted to show that he could be as good a human as Dean or Sam, but that was proving more difficult than expected. At least now he wouldn't be making extra work for Dean. Getting help from Dean had been reassuring though, and Dean was obviously willing to assist Cas if he needed it. But if Cas could do something himself... well, it wasn't fair to expect Dean to do it for him.

Sighing again, Cas got out of bed and removed the wet pull-up. He knew Dean would be in soon, and he wanted to be clean by the time Dean checked on him. Then Cas realized that if he was changing himself anyway, there was no reason Dean had to know he wet the bed. It wasn't that he wanted to lie to Dean, but he wanted to see the hunter's face filled with pride again, the way it had been when he told Dean his pull-up was dry the previous night. Cas quickly made up his mind and switched the dirty pull-up with a clean one. He pulled his pyjamas back on, threw the wet pull-up under the bed, and jumped back under the sheets just in time to pretend to be asleep as Dean walked in. 

Dean stood just inside the door to Cas' room. Cas could feel the man's eyes on him, but Dean made no move towards the bed. What was he doing? It was taking Cas colossal effort not to squirm under the unseen gaze.

"You are so freaking adorable." 

Cas could barely make out Dean's whispered words. Maybe he had imagined them.

Then, Cas heard the distinct sound of footsteps coming towards his bed. A hand was placed gently on his shoulder, and Dean said softly, "Good morning sleepy angel."

Cas blinked his eyes open and pretended to stretch. 

"Good morning," he smiled and hoped it looked real. His tummy was already turning with guilt over the lie he was about to tell. Castiel was not cut out for deception.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

Dean rolled his eyes, but it was fond. "Is your... pull-up... dry?"

"Yes," Cas said. It wasn't exactly a lie, but he hoped Dean would drop it.

Instead, Dean beamed at him. "That's great Cas. You keep this up, and you'll never have to use those again. Why don't you get changed, and I'll get some breakfast going."

Cas nodded. Dean gave him a pat on the shoulder and left. As soon as his bedroom door was closed, Cas scrambled from bed and grabbed the wet pull-up. He listened at the door for Dean's footsteps to disappear before he snuck into the bathroom and buried the evidence of his accident as deeply in the trash as he could. 

A knock at the door made Cas jump. 

"Pancakes or waffles?"

Cas tried to get his breathing under control. "Pancakes," he managed to get out. 

"Coming up," Dean said, and he disappeared down the hall. 

Cas opened the bathroom door a crack. When he saw the coast was clear he slinked back to his room and finished getting changed into clothes for the day. It was the first time in awhile that Cas had gotten dressed without Dean's help. He supposed the hunter trusted him to do it himself after waking up dry, and Cas tried to feel pleased at the thought.

When Cas finally joined Dean in the kitchen, Dean had a plate waiting for the angel. The pancakes were already cut up into bite-sized pieces. Dean had also put out a juice box, hoping it might ease Cas into the idea of a sippy cup. In reality, Dean had no problem with Cas using a real glass, but he wanted to show the angel that he was open to any way that Cas wanted to be treated. The dry pull-up had been a huge surprise and a bit of a disappointment. It would have been the perfect opportunity to comfort Cas, maybe give him a bath, whatever it took to help Dean's boy feel accepted. 

Cas scratched through his jeans as he sat down at the table. His new boxers chafed, and itchiness was a human sensation that Cas could do without. He thought about mentioning it to Dean, but his daddy was getting his own pancakes. Besides, Dean dealt with discomfort in silence all the time. He likely expected Cas to do the same. 

Cas wriggled, trying to scratch the itch against his chair.

Dean sat down across the table and eyed his boy. "Do you need to pee before you have breakfast?"

"No." Cas shook his head vigorously and forced himself to sit still. It was nearly impossible. Cas barely tasted his pancakes, too distracted to enjoy the sweet syrup.

"So," Dean said, and Cas looked up, grateful for something else on which to focus. "What do you want to do today?"

"What are the options?"

Dean shrugged. "We could go for a drive, check out somewhere new, or we could just stay here. Are you positive you don't need to pee, Cas?"

Cas blushed. He hadn't even realized he had been moving about. "I'm fine."

Dean frowned. "I think you should try anyway."

"De-"

"For me," Dean interjected. And Dean had him there.

Reluctantly, Cas stood up from the table; the itching was so much worse when the material of his boxers moved against his skin. Trying to move as little as possible, Cas walked stiffly to the bathroom.

Dean watched the angel go with an amused smile on his face. Didn't have to pee, his ass. He checked his phone while he waited for Cas to come back. No messages from Sam. It took the smile off Dean's face, but Sam had said not to worry unless he didn't send word within a few days. His brother had only been gone a night. 

When Cas returned, he still looked a bit stiff. The angel sat down at the table heavily and made no move to eat his pancakes.

"Can we just stay in today?" Cas asked.

"Of course," Dean said. He took a drink of his coffee and eyed the angel from behind his mug. Something had been up with his boy all morning. "Anything you want to do?"

Cas shrugged listlessly. "May we watch a movie?"

"Sure Cas," Dean said. "Are you going to eat anymore?"

Cas shook his head, and Dean sighed. He thought about pushing the issue, but if the angel legitimately wasn't hungry then he didn't want to force food on him. 

Dean sent Cas to pick a movie while he cleaned up the kitchen. When he got to their TV room, Cas had one put aside. Dean thought he heard a small whimper when Cas sat down on the couch, but when he looked, Cas was staring blankly at the screen. Nothing appeared to be wrong, so Dean set up the movie and joined Cas on the couch. The angel was sitting rigidly at the opposite end of the sofa. Dean leaned over and pulled Cas to him. Cas put up little resistance, letting himself be maneuvered until his head rested in Dean's lap. 

 

......................................

 

After the first movie had finished, Cas wanted to watch another, and Dean agreed. Part way through the second one, Dean noticed Cas' eyes had drifted closed and his breathing had turned heavy. Maybe a nap would be best after all. Dean didn't want to risk sacrificing the sofa to Cas' sleep though, so he ran his fingers through Cas' hair gently, until the angel opened his eyes.

"Hey buddy," Dean said. "Why don't we get a pull-up on you and you can take a nap in bed."

Dean was expecting a protest, either at the pull-up, since Cas had been dry the night before, or at the nap. Neither was contended though, and Dean found himself leading a docile angel to bed. He started to help Cas undress, but Cas caught his hand.

"I'll do it," he said

Dean quickly wiped the hurt look off his face. "You sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright," Dean said. He walked to Cas bedroom door. "Have a good nap," he called without turning around. 

As the door closed behind Dean, Cas sighed. It was a strange mixture of disappointment and relief to have the man gone. Gingerly, he pulled his jeans and boxers down. Cas didn't have a mirror, so he craned his neck to glimpse the rash he had noticed earlier when Dean sent him to the bathroom. The bright red spots that dotted his bum and front seemed to have grown angrier in the past few hours. Cas scratched furiously. As always though, the itching went away for a few blissful moments before coming back with a vengeance. When nothing seemed to be helping, Cas gave up on getting rid of the awful feeling and put on a pull-up and pyjamas. 

Cas climbed into bed, and realized belatedly that he had sent Dean away before Dean could tuck him in. Rolling over to face the wall, Cas tried not to think about Dean or rashes or wet pull-ups. Somehow, despite the itching and his worry about wetting the bed, Cas drifted off to sleep.

When Cas woke up, his bum was on fire. His hand flew to his pyjama bottoms, and even through their fabric he could feel that his pull-up was squishy. As he had that morning, Cas jumped silently from bed and quickly changed into a clean pull-up. Then, he got back into bed. 

Cas waited for awhile but Dean didn't come. Finally, feeling bored, Cas got out of bed on his own and went in search of his friend. He found Dean in the library, looking through a few of the books on angels that Sam hadn't gotten to before he left. 

"Hello," Cas said carefully. He wasn't sure how he would be received after sending Dean away earlier.

Dean looked up. "Hey Cas," he said, setting the book aside. "How did you sleep?"

"Well, thank you. I was tired I suppose."

Dean shrugged. "Naps are the greatest invention on Earth."

There was silence as Cas fretted over telling Dean about his discomfort and Dean considered asking if Cas had woken up dry. Dean couldn't figure out what was going on with Cas, but he didn't want help dressing, and he seemed reluctant to sit near Dean. It was like the angel had done a complete 180. 

Finally Dean asked, "How's the pull-up?"

"Dry," Cas said. He tried a shrug. When Dean did that it always looked nonchalant. 

"That's awesome Cas. I'm so proud of you. Did you want to finish that movie?"

Cas nodded. He wasn't particularly interested, but he certainly didn't want to do anything that required walking or sitting. Both made his bum erupt with a fiery itch. 

Dean took Cas by the hand, and was pleased when the angel didn't object to that at least. He got Cas settled on the couch so that the angel's head rested in his lap again. He was about to hit play when he noticed Cas shifting to get comfortable. The angel still had a pull-up on.

"Cas, you can put boxers back on if you want."

"I'll just leave it. If I fall asleep..." Cas trailed off, and was relieved when Dean seemed to accept his excuse. Nothing would have pleased Cas more than to not wear the ridiculous garment, but it felt much better against his skin than his underwear did. Besides, it paired wonderfully with having his head in Dean's lap and Dean's hand stroking his back to make him feel safe and warm. Finally a human feeling Cas could get behind.

 

............................................

Cas managed to convince Dean to let him stay on the couch all day. Every time Cas asked for another movie or show, Dean would purse his lips like he was against the idea. Each time though, Dean would look at Cas' face and see something there that made him nod in agreement. A couple of times, Dean put his hand to the angel's forehead, but he never seemed to feel whatever he was looking for. 

Eventually it grew late, and Dean helped Cas to sit. Cas winced and stood up immediately. Dean raised an eyebrow, but Cas' muttered explanation of "stiff" seemed to satisfy him.

"A bath might help with that."

"I'll just shower."

Dean almost looked hurt and Cas nearly reconsidered. He remembered his rash though and said, "another time."

Dean nodded. "Yah, sure Cas." He stood up from the couch as well. "I'll leave you to it then. Call if you need me." Then Dean left, and Cas could hear him walk down the hallway to his own room where he closed the door behind him.

Cas sighed. A shower sounded awful. Heat on his burning skin seemed like the last thing he wanted. Maybe it would help though. Dean swore by hot showers.

Cas ran the shower and waited until the water was warm, as Dean had taught him. He stepped into the shower, emerging himself in the water. And no, the heat absolutely did not help. Cas allowed himself a whimper since he was alone. Then, as quickly as he could, Cas washed his hair and soaped himself off. He was fairly certain it was the fastest shower in bunker history.

That night, Cas again dressed himself and put himself to bed. It was already becoming a pattern he was anxious to break. Becoming a human had never been easy, but it was so much harder without Dean's gentle guidance and sarcastic advice. 

It took Cas a long time to fall asleep that night, and when he finally did, he tossed and turned, caught between his nightmares and waking.

 

.........................................

 

Cas groaned as he woke. Every bit of his being wanted him to stay in bed, but he forced himself up, knowing he had to change his pull-up before Dean came in. If Dean came. Cas squeezed his eyes shut tightly. 

He took off his pyjama pants and wet pull-up, and left them in the middle of the floor while he went over to his wardrobe to grab a clean pull-up.

Cas was just closing his dresser drawer when the door to his bedroom opened.

"Morning Ca-"

Dean stopped, realizing Cas was already awake. And ass-naked. "Sorry, I'll lea-" Dean halted again as he caught sight of the bright red skin on Cas' diaper area. His eyes found the wet pull-up on the floor, then the clean one in his boy's hand. It all came together in seconds, and Dean eyed his angel furiously. 

"This is why you've been so miserable? Why di- when-" Dean stopped and took a deep breath. Cas was still standing frozen, staring at Dean with his eyes wide. Dean counted five breaths. It didn't help his anger, but at least he could think more clearly. 

"Okay little angel. I'm going to give you a bath and get some cream on that rash. Then you're going to tell me what this is all about."

Cas nodded dumbly, never losing his wide-eyed stare. In his mind though, he was thanking God over and over for Dean Winchester.


	14. Chapter 14

Cas sat on the toilet in silence as Dean ran his bath. The hunter had been quiet other than occasionally muttering to himself. "Angels" and "stubborn" were a couple of the words Cas could make out. It didn't make him want to ask for more detail. 

When the water was finally warm enough, Dean stopped the drain and turned to Cas.

"Stand up," he said.

Cas stood. He wasn't sure what Dean was mad about, but it seemed easiest just to go along with whatever he said. Besides, Cas was miserable. If Dean could make him feel even just a bit better, Cas would do whatever it took. 

Dean pulled Cas' pajama top off so that he was left with just a towel around his waist. 

"Do you have to pee before your bath?"

Cas shrugged, and Dean raised an eyebrow. Angrily. 

"I'll try," Cas said quickly. 

When he had finished, Dean helped him step into the bath. As Cas eased himself into the warm water, he couldn't help but whimper. He felt even worse than the day before. 

Dean's face instantly softened, although his jaw was still tight. "I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable baby. We'll get you sorted soon."

Cas didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what Dean wanted to hear. Instead, he leaned back to ease some of the pressure off his bottom.

Dean sighed. "I was going to let you play in the bath, try to show you how awesome they can be. I don't think you'd appreciate it today though." He picked up a cloth, applied a mild soap and began to gently wash one of Cas' arms, then the other. He tapped Cas gently on the back of his shoulder, cueing Cas to lean forward so he could wash the angel's back. 

"Buddy," Dean asked as he washed Cas' chest. "Do you want to wash your rash? Gotta get it clean."

Cas looked down at the angry red skin and shuddered. He met Dean's eyes and shook his head. 

"It has to get clean, baby." Dean paused. "Will you let me do it?"

Cas thought about it, then nodded. He closed his eyes tightly as Dean approached with the cloth, dreading the feel of the fabric against his raw skin. It did sting, but Dean was impressively gentle, applying as little pressure as he could. The light circles Dean used left Cas feeling a bit more tender than before, but infinitely fresher.

"All finished," Dean said after a moment. "You did great little angel."

Cas beamed sleepily. Dean was right, the warm bath water felt great, and now that the part he was dreading was over and Dean seemed less angry, Cas could give himself over to relaxation. Once Dean began to massage soap into his scalp, Cas was a lost cause. He sighed happily as he lazed in the bath, earning a chuckle from Dean. 

"Gotta sit up a bit so I can rinse your hair. You're almost done."

Cas grumbled, but he did as Dean asked. As soon as he was finished rinsing Cas off, Dean pulled the plug. The angel groaned again when he saw the water level start to fall. Dean disappeared for a moment though, and when he returned, he had a towel still warm from the dryer, to wrap around Cas. 

As Dean threw the towel over Cas' shoulders and rubbed his boy down, Cas basked in the attention. The warm fabric felt amazing, and even though his bum was still sore, Dean used gentle patting to dry him off. It was much better than when Cas had rubbed himself down the night before. He sorely regretted not telling Dean about his rash earlier.

Dean took Cas by the hand and led him back to the bedroom. 

Dean began to gather Cas clothes for the day, but when he pulled boxers from the draw, Cas cleared his throat awkwardly. Dean looked at his boy. 

"What's up, Cas?"

Cas blushed, but he asked anyway. "Can I wear a pull-up instead?"

"Su-"

"It feels better on my rash," Cas hurried to explain.

Dean smiled at the angel's concern. "Sure Cas. You can wear one for whatever reason you want."

Dean returned the boxers to Cas' drawer and fetched a pull-up instead. Thankfully, Dean had bought some cream along with the diapers just in case such an incidence occurred. He brought the cream out of hiding now, and explained to Cas what it was for. The angel's eyes widened as Dean applied the soothing balm. He closed his eyes and let out the breath he had been holding in anticipation of Dean touching the tender skin. When Dean was done with the cream, he helped Cas put on his pull-up and dress for the day. 

Once Dean had finished, Cas made to leave. It was wishful thinking.

"Hold on," Dean said. "Now you have some explaining to do." He gestured to the bed, and Cas sat. Dean remained standing, staring down at his angel expectantly.

"I don't know what to explain," Cas said after an awkwardly silent moment.

"Well, let's start with why you lied about wetting the bed."

"I didn't really li-"

"Don't start with me Cas," Dean growled. "No technicalities."

Cas sighed. "I wanted you to be proud of me."

Dean massaged his temples. Finally, he looked back up to find Cas staring at him intently. 

"Look Cas, I'm always proud of you. You're being so brave about all of this. Just like you always are. You gotta keep me in the loop though. You don't have to deal with any of this alone, but if I don't know when something is wrong I can't help. Okay?"

Cas nodded.

"Alright."

"Dean?"

"Yah?"

Cas squirmed uncomfortably. "We don't have to go anywhere today do we?"

"No, Cas. You're that sore little man?"

Castiel nodded miserably. 

"Alright. You go lie down on the couch and I'll bring you something to eat."

Cas did as he was told, and Dean treated him to toast cut into strips and juice. The drink was in a sippy cup, and Cas seemed like he was going to protest, but Dean fixed him with a stare. With Dean having just gotten over being angry at him, Cas didn't want to annoy further. He took the cup meekly and said, "thank you".

Dean smirked. "Thank you, what?"

"Thank you Daddy," said Cas, and he blushed deeply. 

 

.....................................................

 

It was just after lunch, and Dean was watching with amusement as Castiel drifted off to sleep yet again. The angel had been fighting unconsciousness for the past half hour. _So stubborn,_ Dean thought fondly. He ran his fingers through the head of hair that rested on his lap. Cas jerked a bit, and his eyes fluttered open.

"I think it's time for a nap."

"I already sleep at night. I do not need to sleep during the day as well."

Dean rolled his eyes with a smile. "Lie down in bed for thirty minutes. I'll check on you then, and if you're not asleep you can get up."

"Why don't I read you a book first?" Dean said to forestall the angel's protests. For years he had the same fight with a young Sam, and the promise of a story always got the little geek to cooperate.

As expected, the suggestion made Cas pause. He had never been read to before. There was no need. Cas knew more languages than Dean. In his opinion, Cas should be offering to read to his friend. There was something intriguing about the idea though. 

Dean seized on the angel's silence and took it as a yes. "Up you get," he said. 

They both stood, and Dean led the way to Cas' bedroom. "Pee first," he said.

"Don't have to," Cas argued sleepily. 

"Try anyway."

It wasn't a suggestion, so Cas made his way to the bathroom. It wasn't without a few grumbles, but he found when he got there that Dean was right, and he was able to pee. 

When Cas got back to his room, Dean was sitting on his bed with a book in his lap. Dean patted the bed beside him and pulled back the covers so that Cas could climb in. Cas winced slightly as he did so, but for the most part, relaxing down into the mattress felt wonderful. 

"How're you feeling?"

Cas shrugged. 

"Cas?" Dean said warningly.

"Sore," Cas admitted.

"You know who might help?" Dean asked. He picked up Cas' stuffed bee from the bed beside him and used it to bop the angel on the nose. "This little guy has been feeling neglected. I bet he can make you feel better though."

"The bee is magic?"

Dean quirked an eyebrow. Then, with a smile, he ruffled Cas' hair and began to read. With the angel resting his head on Dean's lap and fighting to keep his eyes open, Dean was reminded of the many nights he had read Sammy to sleep in motels. Dean and Sam's nightly ritual had lasted until Sam hit junior high and suddenly decided he was too old for being read to. Dean pretended not to miss the rapt attention Sam would focus on him and the way his little brother would snuggle into him. It had been Dean's favourite part of the day though, and whenever Sam was sick, they had an unspoken agreement that illness discounted the "too old" rule. Dean would sit down on his brother's bed and read until Sam drifted off to sleep. As soon as Sam was better though, he would tell Dean that he no longer needed to be read to, and Dean would put the book away until the next time Sam came down with something.

Lost in thought and his reading, Dean was unaware of Cas finally giving into sleep. When Dean next looked down at his boy, the angel's expression was peaceful. He was snuggled into Dean and clutching his toy. It was by far the cutest thing Dean had seen since Sam was a toddler. Quietly, Dean closed the book. He sat for a little longer, just enjoying the quiet and the calm that came from running his fingers through Cas' messy hair. Mostly, the sense of peace came with knowing that he was the reason for his boy's relaxed state. It was amazing that he, Dean Winchester, could have that effect on a being as beautiful and as strong as Castiel. 

Finally, Dean's back began to cramp and he silently got up from the bed. He glanced back at the sleeping angel before he left. Cas whined in his sleep at the loss of the warm body beside him, and Dean smiled. Yes, he wanted Cas not to hurt anymore, but in the meantime, he would enjoy spending time helping his boy to feel better.

 

........................................

Cas sighed happily when he woke up. At least, he felt content until he noticed the burning of his bum. He wiggled, and yes, he was wet. Cas sighed. He really didn't want to tell Dean he had an accident for the second time that day, but Dean had firmly drilled home that he was not to lie or hide things from his Daddy.

Cas thought about staying in bed and waiting for Dean to come get him, but his skin was unbearably sore, and he wanted more of the cream Dean had used earlier. Gingerly, he got out of bed and went Dean-hunting. 

Cas found Dean in the library, and the hunter looked up as he walked in. 

"Hey little angel, how did you sleep?"

"Very well," Cas said. He looked at the ground, hoping Dean would ask. Dean was absorbed in whatever he was reading though. It wasn't until Cas cleared his throat and promptly turned red that Dean realized something was wrong.

"Everything okay?"

"I had an accident Daddy," Cas forced out.

Dean pushed back his chair and stood immediately. "That can't feel good on your skin." He placed an arm around Cas' back, then propelled the angel towards the bathroom. 

"Sorry," Cas said. "I wasn't asleep very long."

"Hey." Dean stopped walking and turned to face Cas. They were standing close enough that the angel had to meet his gaze or look at his chin. "No apologies. You know I don't care about that. What does matter is that you told me. I couldn't be happier or more proud."

Cas blushed again, but this time he was smiling. Taking a chance, he closed the short distance between them to give Dean a hug. A moment later, he felt his Daddy's arms wrap around his back. As Dean held him, Cas came to a startling realization: it had taken becoming human for him to realize where his home really was. For all Dean's talk about them being family, Cas had never fully believed it until now. His eyes were suddenly hot, and he closed them tightly against the foreign, wet sensation. 

Cas sniffed, and Dean pulled back slightly to look at him. "Are you okay baby?" Dean asked, searching Cas' face. 

Cas nodded and swallowed against the lump in his throat. "I love you Daddy," he said.

Dean looked at him, an unreadable expression on his face. He pulled Cas to him and let the angel's wet face bury itself in his shoulder. "You too, little angel." 


	15. Chapter 15

Dean was worried about Sam. That was not out of the ordinary, but normally he at least knew where Sam was. Neither Garth nor his brother had been in touch though. At first, Dean's concern for Cas was enough to keep him occupied, but with the angel's bum healing well and seventy-two hours since he had last spoken with Sam looming, Dean could no longer ignore his fears.

The night before, Dean had thought about going after Sam, but he had a very tired angel on his hands. In the end, he decided he would give Sam one more night to get in touch with him. As of 6am, there was still no word from his brother. Dean had not slept a moment, and he was itching to go looking for Sam. 

Dean waited until 7 before he woke Cas up. It gave him time to pack a bag for himself and supplies for Cas. The angel had never traveled properly in human-form, and Dean didn't trust him to pack a suitcase.

"Daddy?" Cas asked sleepily when Dean gently shook him awake. The angel had taken to calling him that over the past day and a half, and Dean couldn't say he minded. After Ben and Lisa, Dean was under no illusion that he would ever have a wife and kids. Cas was family though, and Dean already felt protective of the angel. If Cas needed this, well, it felt right to Dean too. The only issue was what Sam would think. Dean thought about telling Cas not to call him "Daddy" around his brother, but things were already hard enough for the angel. Cas didn't need Dean telling him that diapers and "Daddy" were perfectly acceptable, but only if nobody else was around. No, Dean wouldn't do that to his boy; Sammy would just have to accept it. That decision didn't lessen Dean's nerves though.

"Hey, little angel," Dean said.

"Not an angel." 

That was another thing Cas had started to say the past couple of days and another reason that Dean was worried. He was happy if it meant that Cas was okay with being human, but the angel wasn't. It sounded more like he was giving up on changing back than becoming content with his current situation. 

"Sure you are," Dean said, as he had every other time Cas said that.

"Angels don't have accidents."

"Mine does," Dean said with a smile. That answered his next question. He went to Cas' drawer to fetch a clean pull-up. Even though the previous evening, Cas had said he was ready for boxers again, it had been close to bedtime, so Dean had left him in pull-ups. Today, he definitely wanted Cas in something other than underwear. They were going on a long drive, and Heaven help Cas if he ever peed in the Impala. Dean loved his boy, but love only went so far.

"Boxers?" Cas asked.

"Not today, little man. I didn't hear back from Sam last night, so I think it's time we go track him down."

"Okay Dean," Cas said, sounding like an odd mixture of his old and young selves. "All the more reason for real underwear. I should help you find Sam, not be another person for you to look after."

"Oh no, baby angel," Dean said. "You're not getting out of being my boy that easily."

"But Sam-"

"Will understand," Dean said, hoping his statement wasn't as big a lie as he worried it might be.

"Not an angel."

Dean smiled at the return of his little boy, but otherwise he ignored Castiel's pouting. The kid was tired and worried about seeing Sam again, so Dean let the mopey-ness go for the time being. 

"Who knows," Dean said after he had finished dressing Cas. "Maybe Sam hasn't called because he's close to finding your cure. Maybe he got too caught up." Dean wished he could believe that.

Cas just shrugged. "Maybe."

The angel definitely wasn't his usual optimistic self.

Dean served Cas a quick breakfast and brushed the angel's teeth. Afterwards, he told Cas to go to the bathroom, even though the angel said he didn't have to. Dean just wanted to find Sam. The fewer stops he and Cas made, the faster they would get to wherever his brother was.

**************************************

For the first couple hours of the trip to Garth's place, Cas slept while Dean drove and listened to music. Even once Cas woke up, the angel was silent, lost in his own thoughts. Dean wasn't in the mood for conversation either, so he left Cas alone and stewed in his own head. They had been driving about five hours when Dean noticed Cas starting to squirm. _Shit,_ Dean thought. The angel hadn't said anything to him, but that was Dean's warning sign that Cas needed to pee. Dean sighed. He knew this stretch of highway, and unfortunately the stops were few and far between. With all the twists the road made and the narrow shoulder, there were also limited places to pull over. Dean said nothing to Cas. Hopefully if the angel's attention wasn't drawn to his need, they would find a rest stop before Cas even realized that he had to go. 

Unfortunately, it was not long before Cas said, "Daddy?"

The angel had looked at Dean then glanced away a few times, trying to get up his courage. Cas' subtlety would have been amusing if Dean had an idea of when the next rest stop would come along.

"Yah buddy?"

"I need to pee."

Dean suppressed a sigh, not wanting Cas to think it was directed towards him. 

"I'm not sure where the next stop is," Dean admitted. "Gotta go bad?"

Cas nodded.

"Well, you have a pull-up on," Dean pointed out.

The angel turned bright red. "That is only for nighttime."

"It's for anytime you can't get to the toilet. That's why I put you in one for today."

Cas shook his head adamantly.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable when there's an easy out."

"I will wait," said the stubborn boy. 

Dean and Cas were both silent after that. Cas was completely absorbed in his efforts to keep control of his bladder, while Dean was too irritated with the angel to pursue conversation. 

As he drove, Dean kept track of Cas out of the corner of his eye, even while he sped down the highway to find a stop. He had no desire for Cas to wet himself when the angel clearly didn't want to, but from the looks of things, Cas' situation was quickly growing desperate. The poor boy was squirming so much that it was painful to watch.

Dean was about to tell Cas again to just use the pull-up, when Cas suddenly grew very still, and his eyes opened wide. Even without experience from caring for Sammy, Dean would have known what happened. Cas' cheeks were red, and he turned his face to look out the window. 

They rode in silence, until it became obvious to Dean that Cas wasn't going to talk about it. He put his arm around Cas' shoulders and pulled the boy towards him, so Cas could lean against Dean. It was uncomfortable sitting that way while Dean was driving, but it was the only way he could think of to comfort the angel. 

Dean felt wetness against his shoulder. A glance in the rearview mirror and a sniffle from the angel confirmed Dean's suspicions: Cas was crying.

"It's okay," Dean said softly. "You're okay." He bent his arm so he could wipe Cas' cheeks with his thumb. It was an awkward position, but Cas burrowed closer to him in response. The boy didn't stop crying though, and it broke Dean's heart to feel the hot tears continue to soak into his shirt.

"Look," Dean said. "Five miles to a rest stop. We can get you all cleaned up."

Cas nodded, but he didn't say anything. Dean was at a loss.

They finally pulled into the rest stop. Unfortunately, it was midday, and other people were making use of the stop. Dean found a spot close to one of the family bathrooms and parked. When Cas made no effort to move, Dean gently pushed the angel back into a seated position. 

"Don't you want to get cleaned up?"

Cas nodded. Of course he did. His eyes were huge though; to Dean, the angel looked terrified. 

Dean unbuckled his own seatbelt, and he was about to get out of the car, when a hand gripped his arm to stop him. 

"What?" Dean asked as he turned back to Cas. It was definitely fear in the angels eyes. Fear and guilt.

"I'm sorry," Cas said.

"Cas, we've been over this. Accidents happen, and I don't mind."

Cas nodded, but he didn't look appeased. This time, when Dean opened his door though, Cas didn't try to stop him. He went around to Cas' side and opened the passenger door. Cas met his gaze and quickly glanced away. The angel looked as though he was going to be sick. Dean took Cas' hands and tried to pull him out, but the angel resisted.

"Cas," Dean said, quickly losing patience. "I don't care about the accident, but I do care that this is keeping you in a wet pull-up longer, and it's stopping me from finding Sam."

Dean didn't think it was possible for Cas to go any paler, but the angel managed it. The boy slowly stood up from his seat, not looking at Dean. Dean pointed to the washroom, and Cas began to walk. It wasn't until he passed his daddy that Dean saw the angel's bottom. He looked from the two crescent-moon patches, to the seat of the Impala, and back again. A million emotions washed through Dean. Anger was there, as expected. The feeling that surprised him was guilt. Dean was overwhelmed by the realization that Cas thought a car was more important to Dean than he was. The Impala was gorgeous but, and Dean apologized to his girl, in the end, the Impala was just metal.

Dean grabbed the bag he had packed in case Cas used the pull-up and quickly followed after the angel. There was no sign of Cas outside the bathroom, so Dean knocked. 

"Cas? It's me."

At first there was no answer, but then Dean heard the lock click, and the door opened a crack. Dean pushed it open the rest of the way so he could slip inside the little room. Cas was no longer pale. His face was tear-stained and blotchy. In one stride, Dean closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around his boy.

"It's okay," he said. "I know, and it's okay."

The stiff body relaxed into his arms, and Dean held his limp angel tightly.

Dean never wanted to let go, but eventually Cas pulled away, saying, "Daddy?"

"Mm?" Dean asked, releasing his boy reluctantly. 

"Can I get changed now?"

"Of course," Dean said. 

He opened the bag he had prepared and looked inside. Extra clothes were something that Dean almost didn't include. At the last moment he threw them into the diaper bag though. He didn't think Cas would need them, but the backpack had room, so Dean figured he might as well be extra prepared. Now he was glad he did. Along with the new pair of jeans, Dean brought out wipes and some cream. The last item brought Dean pause though. He had packed two possible types of undergarment, and considering the cleaning he was going to have to give his poor car as soon as Cas was changed, Dean was heavily leaning towards one over the other. Dean eyed his baby boy speculatively. The only question was, how much convincing would it take to get Cas into a diaper?


	16. Chapter 16

"Okay, Baby Angel," Dean said casually. "Drop the wet pants so we can get you cleaned up." 

Cas did as he was told. Other than a few sniffles, he was quiet. He was significantly calmer than when Dean had found him though, and Dean hoped that would last. Once he had his boy cleaned up, Dean pulled the new undergarment out of his bag, along with some other necessary supplies. He offered Cas a confident smile, trying to seem as though he had done this for the angel a hundred times. Despite Dean's attempts to appear nonchalant, Cas eyed the cream and powder suspiciously. 

"What is that?" 

Dean shrugged. "I just don't want you to get a rash."

Cas nodded, but he still looked doubtful. His expression changed to one of horror when Dean unfolded the diaper.

"Dean, no," Cas pleaded. His eyes were wide with panic and hurt. It pained Dean enough that he considered giving Cas the pull-up instead. He thought back to his other baby's poor seats though as well as Cas' embarrassment over peeing on the leather. This was better than risking another unfortunate outcome. 

Dean steeled himself against Cas' imploring look. The angel was quivering with fearful energy. 

"You won't have to worry about leaks, Cas."

"I promise I won't use the pull-up again."

Dean sighed. "That's the point of them. I want you in one so you don't have be uncomfortable or stress about the car. If you're not gonna use them, might as well not wear 'em."

"Okay, I will do that then."

"Nope. Not okay," Dean said. "I'm in charge, and I say you're wearing the diaper."

Dean put the offending item aside and pulled Cas to him when the boy started to tear up again. 

"I don't care if you use them, Cas," Dean promised. "You picked me to be your daddy, so I'm gonna do what I can to make you happy."

"Then don't make me wear it," Cas said into his daddy's ear.

Dean chuckled. "Nice try Baby Angel, but no dice." He held Cas a little longer until the boy's tears had again dwindled to an occasional sniff. Then, Dean released Cas and picked up the diaper. 

"I promise it's no big deal."

Cas nodded, but he looked away as Dean diapered him. He didn't meet the hunter's gaze again until Dean had finished cleaning the car and they were back on the road. Even then, Cas met Dean's eyes only to judge his daddy's reaction when he leaned his head against Dean's shoulder. His daddy just smiled at him, and emboldened by that response, Cas curled up against Dean and closed his eyes.

Dean ruffled Cas' hair whenever he didn't need both hands on the wheel. The angel kept shifting in his seat, and Dean imagined it had to be difficult to get used to the diaper. Hopefully it wouldn't take Cas too long though. Cas' accident had been unnecessarily traumatic for both of them, and Dean still felt overwhelming guilt at forcing Cas to wear something that the boy didn't want to. Then again, if Cas got used to the diapers, accidents would no longer need to be a big deal. That was the point Dean hoped to reach. Until then though, Dean would do what he could to make sure Cas enjoyed the rest of the car trip. He felt he owed the angel at least that, and it would take his own mind off of his worry about Sammy.

...............................................

 

Dean pulled into the motel parking lot and gently rubbed the head that still rested on his shoulder.

"Wake up, Baby Angel."

Cas groaned, shifted, and grumbled some more. He didn't open his eyes.

Dean chuckled and tried again. "Come on, Buddy, we're stopping for the night. You can sleep when we get our room. Also, you've been out for awhile. Probably need a change."

Cas shifted in his seat again then turned a brilliant red, confirming Dean's suspicions.

"Hey, I told you it's fine. I'm glad you got some sleep."

Cas nodded and sat up so Dean could undo his seatbelt.

Dean checked them in and ordered take-out from a nearby pizza place so that he could treat his boy to a quiet evening. As soon as they got inside, Dean pulled a towel out of the bag he had packed for Cas and spread it out on the bed. 

"C'mere," Dean said.

Cas looked from the towel to Dean, but after only a moment's hesitation, he lay down as directed. Dean removed the wet diaper and cleaned Cas off. The angel was getting ready to sit up, when Dean gently pushed him back down. 

"Just hang on there," Dean said as he grabbed another diaper from the bag.

"Dean?" Cas asked, eyeing it apprehensively.

"Daddy," Dean corrected absently.

"Daddy," Cas agreed. He grabbed Dean's hand by the wrist, met the hunter's eyes, and shook his head adamantly. "No diaper."

Dean sighed. "You're tired, Cas. I don't want to have to wake you up later to change you into one if you fall asleep." Seeing Cas' doubtful look, Dean added, "If you need the potty I'll take it off you."

Cas considered, then released his hold on Dean's wrist.

"There's my Baby Angel," Dean smiled.

"Not an angel," Cas grumbled. His daddy ignored the statement though and finished diapering him. 

As Dean was helping Cas to pull his pants back up, there was a knock at the door.

"Just food," Dean said in answer to Cas' panicked expression. "Go sit down," he told his boy, who continued to stand in the middle of the room, looking awkward.

Cas quickly did as he was told, thankful not to have to interact with another human while diapered. Dean was one thing; after all, Dean was... Dean. Anyone else though? Cas knew it would be too much. He would have to get Dean to let him out of diapers before they found Sam and Garth.

Dean paid the delivery man, then brought the pizza over to Cas. The angel looked at him oddly when Dean pulled apart the pizza and handed his boy a slice. 

"With your hands, Cas," Dean said. He allowed himself a smirk at Cas' failed attempts to bite through the stringy cheese. He couldn't stop his laughter though when Cas looked at him with a panicked expression, mouth full of toppings and an almost bare piece of pizza in his hands. "Yah, that happens. Just chew. You'll be fine."

Cas may not have liked the experience of eating pizza, but he loved the taste. Once Cas finished his first piece, he eyed the rest of the pizza uncertainly until Dean used a knife to cut up a second slice for him. After that, Cas enjoyed the food immensely. He sat back blissfully once he was finished his third piece and half-closed his eyes. 

Dean eyed his boy's tomato-stained mouth and greasy hands. He knew what the rest of the evening would involve. 

When he finished his own meal, Dean stood up and went to the washroom to run the tub. "Bath time for angels," he told Cas when he got back.

Cas looked up at his daddy sleepily, but he didn't move until Dean came over and took him by the hands to coax him up. Dean wrapped an arm around his tired boy's shoulders and led Cas to the bathroom. He helped the angel strip down, and removed the diaper. Whether it was from being tired or from getting used to the garment, Cas didn't even blush. 

As Dean helped Cas into the tub, he realized regretfully that he had no toys. Even young Sammy had a bath-toy that Dean had scrounged for him from a preschool Sam had gone to for a week. His brother had loved the pirate ship and would complain whether Dean made him get out of the tub. Cas though, was leaning back languidly, eyes closed, and a dopey smile on his face. Seeing the angel so relaxed brought a gentle smile to Dean's own face. Toys next time then, this go around he would just let the angel enjoy the peace. 

Eventually Dean picked up a washcloth and began to gently scrub Cas' skin. The angel murmured wordlessly in pleasure, and his sleepy smile stretched from ear-to-ear. The sweet reaction brought an answering grin to Dean's face, and with Cas' eyes closed, he had no need to hide it. Dean took extra long washing Cas, going back over spots that made the angel sigh happily. These were the moments that Dean missed from when Sammy was a baby and the ones he enjoyed the most with his boy. Finally though, the water started to grow cold, so Dean abandoned the washcloth for shampoo. Still, he took his time massaging the product into Cas' dark hair, enjoying the reaction his attention elicited.

 

Cas opened his eyes mournfully when he heard Dean remove the plug and felt the water-level start to sink.

"Sorry Buddy. It was getting cold anyway." 

Dean stood and held a towel open for Cas. Despite the angel's reluctance to get out of the bath, he beamed when Dean wrapped him in a towel, followed up by a hug. Okay, he was over the bath. 

Dean put him in a clean diaper, which Cas didn't even protest. He was too relaxed after Dean's ministrations to care. When his daddy dressed him in pyjamas and pulled back the covers for hm, Cas jumped into the bed without complaint.

"Daddy?" The angel asked when Dean walked away.

"Just a sec," Dean said over his shoulder. He returned a moment later with a bottle and a book. Before Cas could say anything about the former, Dean told him, "Sammy used to love having a bottle before bed. I thought you might like it if you tried it". Dean didn't mention that Sam had been two years-old at the time. 

Cas was still uncertain, but when he saw doubt begin to darken Dean's face, he reached for the bottle. The evening had been so wonderful. He had never felt closer to Dean, and all after he had wet Dean's precious car. Cas never wanted the night to end. Eventually it would, but if using a bottle would prolong the moment, Cas was willing.

Dean's answering grin when Cas reached for the drink was all the reward Cas needed. He put the nipple in his mouth, and Dean's twinkling eyes told him he was on the right track. After that though, Cas wasn't sure what to do. While Dean settled onto the bed next to him, Cas waited for the juice to come out. Nothing. Maybe it was broken. He sucked in a breath to sigh, and he was rewarded with a mouthful of juice. Cas tried again and received the same result. Realizing he didn't need to stay propped up to drink, he lay down fully and snuggled into Dean's side. Dean reached down absentmindedly and played with Cas' damp hair as he began to read. And just for the ability to fully cuddle up to his daddy without worrying about spills, Cas knew the bottle would be a new staple at bedtime. With Dean's warm voice in his ears and hand on his head, it took little time for Cas to fall asleep. 

Dean noticed almost as soon as Cas drifted off, and he paused in his reading to remove the bottle from the angel's mouth. He put it on the bedside table and continued to read softly aloud as Cas slumbered beside him. Even with all the supernatural events Dean had experienced, he had never been part of a more magical moment. As he sat next to his boy, Dean knew true happiness, and he never wanted it to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit shorter than intended, but I felt like ending on this note. Maybe it's because I'm half asleep in the sun myself. School and life are starting again, but my aim is to keep updates coming at least once a week. Thanks for reading :)


	17. Chapter 17

"Cas?" Dean asked, glancing from the road for a minute. They had been driving for hours without a break, and he was amazed the angel hadn't asked for one yet.

"Yes, Daddy?"

"There's a rest stop ahead. Do you need to pee?"

"No."

Dean frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Cas nodded.

Then Dean realized and sighed. "Are you already wet?"

Cas blushed slightly and looked out the car window.

"You gotta tell me Cas. Otherwise I'll have to start checking. You don't want the rash to come back."

They passed another exit, and Dean realized, "Garth's place is only an hour away. We should stop and get you changed."

Cas stared at him wide-eyed. The realization that Cas would soon be seeing Garth, and perhaps Sam, had struck Dean the night before. Apparently Cas was only now realizing how close the moment was. 

"S'ok, Baby Angel," Dean promised. "You can wear a pull-up again. No one needs to know. You gotta promise to tell me if you have an accident though."

Cas agreed in relief. The idea of anyone other than Dean knowing about how he was dealing with becoming human was horrifying.

They stopped at the rest station, and as Dean promised, Cas was allowed to change into a pull-up. 

As soon as possible, they were back on the road. Dean didn't say as much, but Cas could tell he was getting more impatient to find the other hunters. The closer they got to Garth's, the higher the odometer read. 

When they finally reached Garth's, Dean paused long enough to unbuckle Cas' seat belt before he walked quickly to the door. Cas followed behind his da- Dean, and frowned with concern when nobody answered Dean's pounding knock. Dean pulled two pieces of metal from his pocket and went to work on the locked door. 

Finally, the lock clicked, and Dean put his finger to his lips, motioning for Cas to follow him. Dean stealthily checked every room, but finally he straightened and said in a normal voice, "Empty."

"Dean?" Cas said tentatively.

The hunter looked up quickly at the use of his name. He had gotten surprisingly used to "Daddy" in such a short amount of time. 

"I'm sure they're okay."

"Yah," Dean said, but his tone was too even. 

He did a last sweep of the house, and finally, Dean had to concede that the place was empty. No hunters, no notes, no clues, nothing. 

"We might as well hole up nearby tonight. I'll send Sam a text, let him know where we'll be."

Once Dean had done so, he drove himself and Cas to the nearby motel. Not finding Sam and Garth was eating at him, but it wasn't a surprise. What shocked Dean was how wrong it had felt hearing Cas use a normal voice and calling him by his name. 

"Well," Cas said, once Dean had carried their bags inside. "What would you like to do tonight? I assume we will start to look for Sam immediately."

Dean shrugged and took a seat on the bed next to his angel. "Got nowhere to start looking. Nothing to go on. Garth's place was completely clean, so I can't even tell what they were looking into."

"Dean," Cas said. He stared deeply into his friend's green eyes. Those eyes spoke less often, but said so much more than Dean's mouth ever did. "I am sorry you were not there with Sam."

"Sammy's a big boy. Gigantic actually. He's probably bent over some book with Garth having the time of their nerd lives." Dean glanced at Cas and raised an eyebrow. "What's all this 'Dean' stuff?"

"When Sam-"

"I don't see Sam here, and the kid is pretty hard to hide. So where's my baby angel?"

"Not an-," Cas caught himself and quickly dropped the grumpy tone. Sounding much more like his usual self, he said, "Dean". Or at least, Cas tried to, because at that moment, Dean turned and pushed Cas down onto the mattress. Then, with skill only an oldest sibling would possess, Dean began to tickle Cas mercilessly. 

At first, the angel seemed confused, then annoyed, and finally desperate when he realized Dean wasn't stopping. 

"Dea-" Cas finally yelled between gasps of laughter. "Stahp."

"Sorry," Dean grinned evilly. "Not my name."

"Please," Cas gasped, tears starting to gather in the corners of his eyes.

"Please who?"

"Dean, I'm going to-"

"Try again."

"Dah-" Cas gasped, but any expression was quickly wiped from his face again with silent, choking laughter.

"Closer."

"Daddy, plea-, stop."

Suddenly, the hands were off him, and Cas was left gasping on the bed, a limp, boneless puddle of angel. Dean sat watching him with a wide grin. All it took was a scowl from Cas for Dean to double over in laughter of his own. 

"God Cas," Dean said when he had recovered himself. "Don't ever change."

"I had not planned to."

Dean ruffled his boy's disheveled hair. 

"Now," Dean said, following up on a suspicion. "How's that pull-up?"

"I didn't mean to," Cas said, looking down.

"Hey." Dean put a finger to the angel's chin and tilted Cas' head up. "That was my fault. Don't feel bad. How about a bath then bed?"

"Stories?"

Dean paused to silently berate himself. He hadn't thought to bring anything to read to Cas and the motel didn't have internet in the rooms.

"What if I tell you a story?"

Cas thought about it, then nodded happily. The boy leaned forward, and suddenly Dean found his arms and lap full of angel. It was far from disagreeable. 

They sat like that for awhile until Cas squirmed. Dean kissed the top of his baby's head, then pulled back. 

"Up you get," he said, giving Cas' back a small push. "Bath time."

Dean watched fondly as Cas stood, then waited until Dean followed suit. Taking Dean's hand, Cas walked them both to the bathroom. There, Dean stripped Cas of the heavy pull-up, pointedly ignoring the angel's guilty look. He had spent enough time trying to convince Cas that accidents were fine by using words. He would have to show Cas, and the best way he could think to was by ignoring the angel's discomfort entirely. 

Dean helped Cas into the bath, and the boy basked happily in the warm water. If he hated everything else about being human, Cas at least had discovered the wonder of baths. They were especially perfect when Dean gently washed him down, paying special attention to working the shampoo into his scalp. Cas practically purred with pleasure, and Dean chuckled fondly.

Eventually the water grew cold, and Dean had to convince Cas to get out. That part had become a real struggle, and Dean couldn't begin to understand it. How a bath could still be enjoyable when it was cold enough that Cas was shivering was beyond him, but the angel had taken to the water. That evening, Dean managed to coax Cas out of the bath with promises of cuddles and stories. 

He wrapped the angel in a towel, and rubbed him down until Cas was mostly dry. Then, Dean led his boy over to the bed, where a fresh diaper and supplies lay waiting.

"You said-"

"I said," Dean broke in, "that you could wear a pull-up around Sam and Garth. They aren't here, and I'm not waking up to a wet bed if I can help it."

Cas looked suitably chastened, and he allowed Dean to help him lie back on the bed. The hunter carefully applied powder and cream. Cas was becoming less reliable at speaking up when he was wet, and Dean didn't want him to get a rash. He finally taped the diaper onto Cas, ending the moment with a bop to the angel's nose. 

"Just a sec," Dean said. "I forgot your pajamas."

Dean left for the bathroom, and Cas let his eyes drift closed. He was tired afterall. It was amazing how draining a day of doing nothing but sitting could be. 

Cas vaguely noted a door opening and smiled, waiting for Dean to come with warm clothes and a warmer hug.

"Hey C-"

Cas sat bolt upright and stared wide-eyed, at an equally shocked Sam.

Dean came back out, holding clothes for Cas, and walked in on his baby boy and his baby brother facing each other in stunned silence. 

"What the Hell, Sammy?" Dean asked, finally breaking the moment.

Sam sputtered. "Me? What about...?" He gestured widely in the direction of the other two men.

At that, Cas finally recovered from his stupor. With a face more red than Dean had ever seen it, the angel jumped off the bed, and ran to the bathroom, banging the door closed behind him.

"Cas," Dean yelled. He ran and thumped on the door, but there was no response other than a few pitiful sniffles. All other noise was muffled, and Dean realized that Cas was probably crying into a towel. "Sonuvabitch."

"Dean?" Sam asked from behind him. "What's... what is going on?"

"Yah? Same question," Dean growled. "You disappeared and didn't bother answering my messages. Then, you show up out of the blue and scare the shit out of Cas."

"Oh, like that was my plan when I came here tonight. I chose this exact moment to walk in because I figured it would be the most scarring. Now what the hell is going on?"

Dean ran his hands through his hair. "Fuck it," he said finally. "You remember the trouble Cas was having?"

Sam frowned. "With the bedwetting?"

Dean sighed. "Yah."

He went to his bag and grabbed two beer. Then, he tossed one to Sam, popped open the other, and sat down heavily onto the bed. There was nothing else for it; it was time to talk. Dean did, and with a quick pause to grab them each another drink, Dean filled Sam in on everything his brother had missed. 

Finally, Dean was finished. Sam looked down at the beer in his hand and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "Jesus, Dean," he said finally.

Dean shrugged. "Same thought at first, but it means a lot to Cas."

Sam eyed his brother critically. "And you."

"Cas being okay with losing his mojo means something to me."

Sam didn't argue, but he gave Dean a knowing look.

With a snort, Dean stood up. "Spending too much time around Garth, Sam. Look, I want to hear the awesome reason you have for making me worry, but first I have to check on Cas. He's too quiet in there."

Dean paused on his way to the washroom and turned to face his brother. "I don't know what you're thinking Sammy, and I don't need to. But you should know, if you say anything to hurt Cas, you will have to deal with me. He's family, and if this is what makes him happy, then I will do this and so much more for him."

"It's... unexpected, but it isn't hurting anyone. I want to hear his side of it. His reaction was so... unlike Cas."

Dean shrugged. "He's not Cas like that. Not really. He's like Cas would have been if he had ever been a kid. You scared the shit out of him back there."

"I know," Sam nodded. "I didn't mean to. I'll set it right. I have news too. Garth and I think we know what happened to Cas. And we think we can fix it."

"Dean?" Sam asked when his brother was silent for too long.

"Yah," Dean said, snapping back to the present.

"That's a good thing, right?"

"Of course." Dean turned as he spoke, so Sam couldn't see his face. His voice sounded off though. There was more going on than what Sam had been told, but that was typical Dean Winchester.

"Cas," Dean said, banging on the bathroom door.

There was no answer.

"Castiel, get out here now."

More silence. 

Dean glanced at Sam, and Sam shrugged. There was no lock to pick from the outside, so Dean backed up a ways, then ran at the door, throwing his weight and momentum into the shove. Dean grunted in pain and the door groaned a bit as it moved, but there was no response from inside.

"I'm not joking around, Cas. I will break down this door."

There was no reply, so Dean rushed the door again. He did so twice more, before the wood finally gave under the pressure, and Dean stumbled inside. Sam followed him into the bathroom, and the Winchesters looked around the empty space. An open window and a discarded diaper. No angel. 

Sam looked at Dean, and Dean looked at the window in horrified shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to SailorChibi for pointing out how Cas would likely react should Sam find out. It never crossed my mind, but it made so much sense.
> 
> Also, I realize this chapter came out perfectly in time with my other fic's. I swear coincidence is solely to blame.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the long delay between updates. There have been a couple of things getting in the way of writing. I think I've found my mojo though (cue Mike Myers), and I'll do my best not to lose it again. As always, thanks for reading!

“Sonuvabitch.”

Sam eyed his brother. Dean was paler than Sam had ever seen him. Sweat was beading on his brother’s forehead despite the cool air flowing in from the bathroom’s open window. 

“Dammit,” Dean said, slamming his hand against the doorframe. He pulled back his fist to pound the wall again, but after a moment, he let it drop. “Dammit,” Dean whispered.

“Dean,” Sam said evenly. 

Dean didn’t reply. He was busy staring out the window.

“Dean, he’ll be okay.”

“He’s afraid of the dark,” Dean said. 

Sam didn’t know how to respond. Clearly his brother wasn’t in a frame of mind to come up with a plan. Sam needed to act quickly though, before Cas got too long a head start and before Dean realized to blame Cas’ disappearance on his brother. 

“Dean,” Sam said again, pulling the shorter man to face him. 

Dean blinked. “Yah.”

“Where would he go?”

Dean ran his hand over his scalp. “Christ. I don’t know. It’s Cas. He’s never been on his own as a human before.”

“He doesn’t know the area,” Sam said slowly. “And he has no clothes. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

Dean sighed. “Yes he does. I changed in here earlier. Little bastard ran off with my favorite jeans and shirt.”

Sam opened his mouth, then decided it wasn’t the best time to add “no runaway angels” to the list of reasons Dean should put away his things. 

“Okay. You’re Cas. You’re freaked out. Where do you go?”

“Only place he knows around here is Garth’s, but he knows we would check there,” Dean said, finally pulling himself to the present. It was a struggle to stay with the conversation. His chest was too tight to breathe. His mind swam with images more terrifying than he had ever known, and Dean had seen a lot of shit. Cas hurt. Cas scared. Cas- . It was Dean’s personal Hell on Earth. No. It was worse. 

“Maybe we’re going about this the wrong way. You said he’s not really Cas right now anyway. He’s in a different frame of mind,” Sam said.

Dean shook his head in agreement. “He’s not. Actually, he’s not Cas, but he’s probably trying to be Cas… who’s trying to be human… which is not Cas either. Jesus.”

“So, essentially you have no idea where he is.”

Dean glared at his brother. “Thanks Sam. I didn’t realize I completely lost Cas until you spelled it out for me.”

Sam held up his hands defensively. “Alright. Well, he can’t drive, and he can’t fly, so he has to be close. Unless-“

Dean’s face lost what little colour it had regained.

“Bus,” they said together.

Nothing more needed to be said. Sam grabbed his coat, while Dean realized that Cas had also made off with his jacket. Another strike against the angel. They moved quickly, and only moments later Sam was buckling his seatbelt, while Dean tore out of the motel’s parking lot. 

 

…………………………………

 

Cas sat in the brightest corner of the bus stop. He fought down the desire to hug his knees to his chest and bury his eyes in his arms, so that he didn’t have to see how dark the world was. Dean would never do that, and from then on, if Cas was going to be human, he was going to be like Dean and Sam. Someone with whom the Winchesters could proudly associate. Perhaps once he got better at being human he would look up the brothers again. Maybe it was best just to keep a clean break though. Cas shuddered. 

The time passed slowly, and Cas had no idea how long he had been sitting there, watching the occasional person walk by. Each passerby kept their eyes straight forward, and after receiving a few glares when he made eye contact, so did Cas. At least Dean’s jacket was warm though. Cas felt a stab of guilt for taking something he knew was so important to the hunter. He was already in his sock-feet though. He wouldn’t have lasted long if he also had bare arms. 

Cas looked up hopefully as headlights approached. It was just a car though, and he went back to staring at the ground. Cas was starting to get the uncomfortable feeling that maybe busses didn’t run all night. He didn’t know how often they came or where they went once they left. Cas only knew that he and Dean had driven past the bus stop earlier, and it was a way out of town. Leaving behind everyone who knew him was the closest Cas could get to ceasing to exist, and that was all he had wanted since the moment he locked eyes with Sam. 

Cas thought wistfully to the evening he and Dean had been having prior to that. Baths and snuggles and story-telling. It was better than any Heaven Cas had ever visited. The angel forced the images from his mind. He couldn’t go back, not until he was either an angel again or better at being a human. Right now he was useless to the Winchesters. No, worse. He was a liability. 

Cas stuffed his hands into his pockets, so that he wouldn’t give into the urge to hug himself and pretend that the embrace was from Dean. So lost was he in his own internal conflict, that Cas didn’t notice his name being called until the source of the shouts were almost upon him. 

“Cas.”

Cas finally looked up to see Dean Winchester looming over him. Dean didn’t meet Cas’ eyes though; he was too busy checking the angel over for bruises, scrapes, and cuts, feeling frantically for signs of hurt or abuse. Finally, convinced that Cas wasn’t in immediate danger, Dean straightened and looked into the blue eyes that gazed up at him. 

“Cas-“ Dean got no further. He was caught between yelling and comforting. Between berating the man and confessing how afraid he had been. Besides that, was Cas his idiot friend or his little boy?

Cas and Dean stared at each other.

“Dean-“

That was all Dean needed. He bent down, wrapped Castiel in a hug so tight the angel could barely breathe, and inhaled the scent of his own leather jacket and a freshly-bathed Cas. 

It took the shortest moment before Cas collapsed into the hug, all his stubborn determination gone within seconds. 

“It’s dark,” Cas admitted softly.

“I know, Baby Angel. We’ll get you home.”

At the word “we,” Cas stiffened. Dean looked him in the eyes and said firmly, “I know you won’t believe me, but Sam is fine with this.”

“I can get a separate room for the night,” Sam said from behind Dean. He had been waiting a few feet away, stuck between giving his brother and friend privacy and wanting to see for himself that Cas was safe. 

“No,” Dean said, and Cas squeaked in shock. 

“Castiel needs to get used to you being around.” Dean held Cas’ eyes as he spoke to his brother, daring the angel to defy him. When Cas said nothing, just looked at him with wide, anxious eyes, Dean nodded. He began to stand, but before he straightened, he bent down to press his mouth to Cas’ ear. “I’m glad you’re safe. Don’t think for a second this conversation is over though.”

With that, Dean straightened. He took Cas’ hands and pulled the angel to his feet. When he saw that his boy wore no shoes, he sighed. 

Dean turned his back to Cas. “Hop up,” he said.

“Dean?“

“A piggyback.”

Dean groaned when Cas didn’t seem anymore clued-in. “Sam, show him.”

Cas shied away when the younger Winchester approached, but Sam held out his hands slowly, and, like a frightened animal, Cas eventually moved into his touch. Sam helped Cas hop onto Dean’s back, and like that, the three men made their way to the Impala.

When they got there, Sam started to get into the passenger seat, but Dean shook his head. “You drive, Sammy.” 

Dean tossed his brother the keys and slid into the backseat. Once he was settled, he beckoned for Cas to climb in. The angel did so, and once Dean had buckled Cas in, he pulled his boy against his chest. It was awkward, but Dean didn’t care. Cas was safe and back where he belonged. Although the seatbelt must have been pulling at Cas’ neck, Dean heard no complaints as the angel snuggled against his daddy’s chest. 

With the sudden loss of adrenaline, Dean found himself too tired to do much but enjoy the weight of the warm body against him and the knowledge that he had his boy back. Absentmindedly, Dean stroked Cas’ damp hair, and the angel purred contentedly until he drifted off to sleep.

Dean checked in the rearview mirror, and when he was sure Sam’s eyes were on the road, he pressed his lips to the top of Cas’ head. Then, he let his head fall back against the car window.

“Rule number seven,” Dean whispered. “You need at least one person who loves you, and I’m yours, Cas.”


End file.
